It Runs in the Family
by futureauthor13
Summary: Takes place 5 to 15 yrs after series. Mordecai and Rigby now have kids of their own, and they have just as irregular adventures as their fathers. What happens? Read to find out! Contains OCs, and MxM, RxE, BxP, MMxS. Rated T to be safe. COMPLETE! FINAL CHAPTER UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so I know this isn't exactly the most original plotline in the world, but it's been on my mind, and I thought it would be fun to do. So, I hope you all enjoy ;) Okay, so here we go!**

**FYI: While the main pairings in here are MordecaixMargaret and RigbyxEileen, there will be MusclemanxStarla and slight BensonxPops. Oh, and Skips is in here too! :) Anyway, enough with the super long intro, here we go!**

At East Third St., only a couple blocks away from the video store and about a mile from the park. That old coffee shop was still open. Though it didn't surprise Mordecai that much, they did have pretty good coffee.

Walking through the door, Mordecai's name was immediantly called.

"Hey Mordecai, hey dude!" Mordecai smiled and shook his head. Same old Rigby.

"Hey dude," the bluejay replied, sitting down by his bro, "You order yet?"

"Nah, the waitress hasn't come over yet," said Rigby, "maybe you should get Margaret to come work here again."

"Didn't you use to say that by the time she stopped working here there would be robot waitresses?" Mordecai joked, remembering a random comment his friend had said years ago.

"Shut up, how was I supposed to know she would graduate and quit her job in a few months?" Rigby said defensively. Mordecai just chuckled.

"So, how's Eileen? Did you two go camping?" Mordecai asked.

Ever since that camping trip between the four of them all those years ago, Rigby stopped thinking of Eileen as 'that weird mole girl'. She was kinda cool. Once he stopped ignoring her, the two became friends. And thanks to a little pushing and encouragement from Mordecai and Margaret, the two eventually hooked up.

"Nah, she said she was feeling a little sick," replied Rigby, looking away. Mordecai could tell something was up.

"You okay, dude?" Mordecai asked.

"Yeah, sure," Rigby replied, still not looking.

"Dude, don't lie." Rigby sighed. "Look, if your worried, I'm going through the same thing. So, you know, if you wanna talk about it..."

Rigby stayed quiet for a few moments, then groaned. "Why do you have to ask me these things?"

"Because if I don't, you won't tell anyone and you'll probably end up doing something stupid."

Rigby groaned again. "Fine," he said surrendering, "It's just that, I screwed up at school, at my first job, at everything. How do I know I won't screw this up too?"

Mordecai was silent for a minute. "Well, if it makes you feel better, there's one thing you didn't screw up, or at least, we wouldn't let you."

"What's that?"

"You and Eileen." Rigby looked at him but didn't turn his head. Mordecai continued talking. "Everytime you acted like a jerk, or a baby, or accidentally said something or did something stupid, you still man'd up and appologized for it. You bought flowers and girly presents, even though it embarrased you. You even got a secret second job at a crappy diner just so you could by Eileen an anniversary present, which you totally forgot about but still tried your hardest to make up for.

"Dude, honestly, if you could get a girlfriend and actually marry her, you can do anything."

Rigby was silent, then he looked at his tall friend. "I couldn't tell if that corny speech was supposed to encourage me or encourage me and at the same time make fun of me."

"Let's just say it was encouraging," answered Mordecai, "So, you think you'll be okay?"

"Yeah," said Rigby, smiling a little, "I think I'll be okay." Besides, if he ever did screw anything up, he could ask Eileen or Mordecai or even Skips for help (thank goodness the yeti still worked at the park, otherwise he wouldn't know how the heck to call him).

"Good," smiled Mordecai, "cause if you were all depressed, I couldn't do this." He then punched the raccoon in the arm.

"Ow! Whyyy?" Mordecai just laughed as Rigby punched him back, and of course Mordecai barely felt it. Just then, a waitress ran up to the two.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know we had customers," she said, frazzled, "What would you two like?" The two friends ordered, and to make up for the long wait, the waitress brought their coffee's out at lightning fast speed.

"Ahh, just drinkin' joe with my bro," said Rigby, after a long sip of coffee.

"Yep, just like always," replied Mordecai, a relaxed smile on his face.

()()()()()()()()()

"Oh Eileen, this is so cute!"

"I thought you would like it."

Margaret smiled at her friend, who had brought over a present for her, or specifically, the person in the next room. "I love it, and I'm sure the baby will too," replied Margaret.

She still couldn't believe she was going to be a mother. That she and Mordecai were going to be parents. It seemed just like yesterday when Mordecai first asked her out. He was shaking, and there must've been about twenty 'um uh's in his one sentence. But it was still sweet, so she said yes.

After that, she and Mordecai grew more comfortable around each other. They went on more dates, and they also worked together to help two other certain people get together. Margaret graduated from college, and got a job working at an office building, a publishing company. Eileen also quit her job at the coffee shop, and got a job as a librarian at a local school, the perfect job for someone as organized as Eileen.

Eventually, her and Mordecai moved into an apartment together, and just a few months later, Mordecai proposed (She was surprised he didn't keel over before he could get the question out). Her life was great, and now, in just a few weeks, it was going to be even better.

But Margaret and Mordecai's lives weren't the only ones changing.

"So Eileen, how's your baby doing? Did you find out the gender?" Margaret then giggled. "I bet Rigby's been driving you crazy asking about it."

"Well, he has been asking a lot," replied Eileen, "but he usually forgets about the subject if I bring up something like what movie's coming out or something like that." The girls laughed. Even after almost five years, Rigby hadn't changed at all, excluding a few things.

"As for the gender, I don't know," said Eileen, "I'm kinda hoping it's a boy."

"A little Rigby?" replied Margaret, "Sounds like fun."

Eileen giggled. "Yeah, he would probably be a handful, but he'll also be sweet like his father." Margaret would have to take her friend's word for it, since he had almost never seen Rigby acting 'sweet'. There was one time where she walked into their house, and saw Rigby holding a bouquet of flowers. But Rigby, now embarrased, quickly hid them behind his back and acted like there was nothing in his hands.

"What about you, Margaret?"

"I'm not sure what the baby's going to be," said Margaret, "but I do know one thing: Whatever gender it is, Mordecai's going to treat it like royalty." That was the one thing Margaret really liked about Mordecai. He was always so nice and kind. He could be a little lazy at times, but most of the time, he was really sweet. And she knew he was going to be a great father.

About half an hour later, the door opened, and Mordecai and Rigby walked into the apartment. "Hey girls," said Mordecai, before giving his wife a peck on the cheek.

"How was your weekly coffee?" Eileen asked.

"Fine..." said Rigby, looking at his wife's growing stomach.

"What are you thinking about?" Eileen asked, with a smile.

"Oh nothing," Rigby said with a sly smile, "Just the latest and goriest movie e-vah!" Both Mordecai and Margaret mentally face palmed. So much for being sweet. But Eileen didn't mind her husband's answer.

"What movie is it this time?" Eileen asked.

"Tell them, Mordecai!" Rigby said, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Zombacolypse Redux 3: The Re-Deadening!" said Mordecai, making his voice sound like the narrator's in the movie trailers. Margaret and Eileen giggled.

"A movie does sound like fun," said Eileen.

"Yeah, why not?" Margaret said, "I just need to get my coat."

"Oh, I'll get it!" Mordecai volunteered. Quickly, he went to the master bedroom and grabbed Margaret's coat. But instead of going right back to the living room, Mordecai quietly opened another bedroom door, and stepped inside.

The room was dark, except for a single lamp on a table in the back of the room. A soft lullaby was playing on the radio by the lamp. An incubater was on, and inside it under a bright blue blanket, was a single egg. It was only the size of Mordecai's hand. He couldn't believe that there was a son or daughter in there. It seemed so strange, and yet so great.

"I knew I would find you in here," said a voice from behind the bluejay. Mordecai didn't even need to turn to know who it was. Margaret wrapped her wings around her husband.

"Have there been any cracks or whatever?" Mordecai asked.

"Mordecai, the doctor said the earliest the baby would hatch would be three weeks from now," said Margaret, "It's fine."

"Yeah, I know," said Mordecai. He smiled. He was nervous about being a dad. Maybe not as nervous as Rigby, but still nervous. He knew it would be a lot of hard work and responsibility, two things he still didn't really care for. But despite that, he couldn't wait to have a little version of himself and Margaret.

Giving a sly smile, he grabbed Margaret's wing, spun her around so that she was in front of him, and then kissed her. Margaret happily kissed back. "I love you," she said.

"I love you too."

The two probably would've kissed some more if not for a certain raccoon. "Mordecai, stop makin' out with Margaret and get out here! We're gonna miss the movie!"

Mordecai scowled while Margaret just laughed. "He's right, we better get going." Smiling again, Mordecai took Margaret's hand, and the two walked out the room, and quietly closed the door.

()()()()()()()()()

Yells could be heard from down the hall. Rigby hated being here, and he hated the thought of what his wife was going through even more.

"Oh my," said Pops, "I hope she's alright."

"She'll be fine, Pops," said Benson, gently squeezing the lolliman's hand, "They've got tons of doctors in there, plus Skips. She'll be fine."

The whole gang, minus Skips, was in the hospital waiting area. Margaret and the yeti were in the room with Eileen. Margaret, because she was Eileen's best friend, and Skips because, well, he knew everything. If anything went wrong, he would know what to do.

Rigby would've been in there too, if not for the loud screams and the fact that the whole 'giving birth' think kinda freaked him out.

"Dude, how long has she been in there?" Rigby asked.

"I don't know, maybe an hour," said Mordecai, "but, I'm sure this is totally normal. Right Starla?"

"Maybe, I had little Mikey in only an half an hour," replied Starla. Mordecai mentally facepalmed while Rigby looked a little more worried.

"But that was because you're such an awesome mom," said Muscleman, smiling at his wife, "And you know who else is an awesome mom? My mom!" Starla, HFG and Mikey laughed, while everyone else (except for Pops, of course) just gave them a glare of annoyance.

Probably the most surprising thing that had happened in the past five years was that Muscleman had gotten married first. After Muscleman and Starla got back together, they were inseparable. About a year later, Starla was pregnant, which wasn't a surprise to most of them, since Muscleman was always bragging about you-know-what (Despite the fact that no one wanted to hear it). The only one surprised was Muscleman, but instead of freaking out, he thought it was great.

A few months later, since Starla wanted their child to have married parents, the two got married in Las Vegas and stayed there for a week (The group tried not to think about what they probably did there). After six more months Micheal, or Mikey, was born.

He was a husky toddler, with messy brown hair and green skin like his parents. Mikey also shared his dad's personality. In fact, he was rude to everyone except for his parents, his godfather (High Five Ghost) and of course, his grandmother.

"This is boring!" complained the three year old.

"Mikey, sweety, why don't you go play in the toy room with all the other kids?" Starla suggested.

"Okay Mom, thank you," Mikey said with a sweet smile. See what I mean? On his way out, Mikey bumped into a person, a tall raccoon. "Move it, loser!"

"Whoa, careful there little guy," said Don.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Mikey shouted before leaving. But Don just simply shrugged it off and walked over to his big brother.

"Don, what are you doing here?" Rigby asked.

"Yeah dude, I thought you were in New York, doing some millionaire's taxes," said Mordecai.

"Well I wasn't about to miss seeing my little niece or nephew for the first time and giving them some sugar," said Don with a smile.

"Well, I'm getting first dibs! I'm the dad!" said Rigby.

"I knew that bro. At least, I hoped it was you," Don joked. Rigby was about to make a snappy comeback when Benson stopped him.

"Wait, do you guys here that?" Everyone stayed silent. The yells and screams had stopped. Then, they heard a small cry. After a few short moments, the small cry turned into a loud wail.

"Yep, that's definitely Rigby's kid," said Mordecai, "No one else can scream that loud." Rigby didn't say anything. He just looked at the doors, where his new son or daughter was.

The doors opened, and a doctor walked out smiling. "Rigby, would you like to see your new baby?" he asked. Rigby nodded, and jumped down from the chair he had been sitting on. He followed the doctor to Eileen's room.

"Isn't this great, Benson?" Pops said, smiling happily, "Our little family is growing bigger. Isn't this wonderful?"

Pops had always refered to everyone as his 'family'. And in a way, they were. Even after Mordecai, Rigby, Muscleman and HFG left the park, everyone still kept in contact. They were still a family. A weird, disfunctional one, but a family nonetheless. "Yeah, I guess it is," Benson replied with a smile.

Eileen was laying in her bed, looking exhausted but happy. Her hair, normally in a neat ponytail was now down and messy. "You did great, Eileen," said Margaret. Skips didn't say anything, but smiled at the new mother. The two then noticed Rigby in the room. "We'll leave you two alone," said Margaret, still smiling. She petted Rigby on the head, and then left with Skips.

"Rigby," said Eileen, "Did you remember...?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! They're right here!" Rigby took out a pair of glasses, and handed them to his wife. Eileen had switched to contacts a long time ago, but still kept the glasses. A few hours ago, since she knew she wouldn't have time to put her contacts in before going to the hospital, she told Rigby to bring her old glasses. That way she could get a clear view of her baby.

"Where's the baby?" Rigby asked.

"Getting cleaned up," replied Eileen, shutting her eyes for a moment.

"Do you know what it is?"

"We're about to find out." Rigby turned, and saw the nurse walking towards them, holding a blue bundle.

"Congratulations," she said, "It's a boy." A boy. He had a son? The nurse handed him the baby, and Rigby took a good look at him. He looked a little like Eileen, since he had light brown/golden fur. But he was also a raccoon, and had Rigby's nose, had circles around his eyes and he even similar looking hair. Underneith the baby, Rigby could see a striped tail, the stripes alternating between gold and dark brown fur.

"Whoa," said Rigby. He couldn't believe it. He smiled at his son. _His _son. That sounded awesome to say, to hear.

"Rigby?" Wait, no. Not his son, _their _son. Still smiling, he handed the baby to Eileen. "Wow," she said, tears running down her cheeks, "He's so cute."

"Um, Eileen?" Eileen looked at her husband. Quickly but lovingly, Rigby kissed her on the lips. "I, you know, love you and all that junk," said Rigby, blushing slightly.

"I love you too," replied Eileen, kissing Rigby back. After almost ten minutes, the others started coming into the room. Rigby complained about everyone holding the baby ("I only got to hold him for like two minutes! Besides, I'm the dad, remember?"), but nevertheless, it was a sweet family moment.

"So, what's the little guy's name?" Mordecai asked.

"Uhhhhh..."

"You didn't pick one out?" Benson asked Rigby, "You've got to be kidding."

"I just forgot, okay!" Rigby turned back to Eileen. "Well, what about Rigby Jr.?"

"Uh, he doesn't really look like a 'Rigby'," said Eileen.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Well, what should we name him?"

"What about, ummm, Chris?" Eileen suggested. Nah, that didn't sound right either.

"What about David?" Benson suggested.

"Joseph?" Pops added.

Names were thrown out, but none of them seemed to fit. "What about Robert?" Skips suggested.

"Robert?" Rigby repeated.

"We could call him Robbie for short," Eileen added.

"Robbie...Robbie..." Rigby said, trying out the name. Finally, he smiled. "I like it."

"Alright, we'll name him Robert," said Eileen, looking down at the baby, "Little Robbie."

()()()()()()()()()

It was noon, about two and a half weeks after Robbie was born (four and a half weeks after the four had gone to the movies). The egg still hadn't hatched yet, but the two literal lovebirds weren't too concerned. The egg had another two weeks before it was offically late, and when they officially had a reason to worry.

Mordecai was in the kitchen, making himself a giant sandwich. "Aw yeah, put some roast beef, some cheese, some tomatoes, and little lettuce, and finally..." The bluejay was about to finish his masterpiece when he heard an alarm go off. It wasn't loud, almost muffled, but Mordecai could still hear it. And he knew what it was.

Dropping the sandwich, he ran to the baby's bedroom. The alarm on the incubater was going off, which meant the egg was getting ready to hatch. To the untrained eye, it would seem like there was nothing wrong with the eggshell. But when Mordecai squinted, he could see a small, thin crack in the front. It was slowly getting bigger.

"Crapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrapcrap!" said Mordecai, panicked. Normally he would run to go tell Margaret, but she wasn't home. She had been staying/sleeping in the baby's room for the past week, and while she didn't say anything, Mordecai knew she needed a little fun. So he convinced her to go shopping with Eileen for the day.

"Of course the one day Margaret's not home you decide to come," said Mordecai, grabbing the cell phone. Quickly, he dialed the number. After five rings, he heard a voice.

"Hey, this is Margaret. I can't get to the phone right now, I'll try to call you back later."

Mordecai groaned. "Okay, calm down," he told himself, "You've survived video game monsters, giant snow monsters, zombies and a whole bunch of other crap. You can handle this." Taking a deep breath, Mordecai pressed 3, calling the 3rd person on his speed dial.

"Hello?" answered a raspy voice.

"Skips! Dude, the egg's hatching and I'm here by myself!" Mordecai yelled. So much for staying calm.

"Have you tried callin' Margaret?"

"Her phone's off!"

"Okay, how many cracks are on the shell?"

"Just one, but it's getting bigger."

"Okay," said Skips, "I'm on my way. Trying calling Eileen to get a hold of Margaret, and then stay in the baby's room. If more cracks start to form and it looks ready to hatch, call 911."

"Okay, okay," said the grateful bluejay, "Thanks Skips!" Hanging up, Mordecai dialed Eileen's cell.

"Hello?" Rigby answered.

"Rigby?" Mordecai shouted, "Where's Eileen?"

"Dude, stop screaming!" Rigby shouted back, annoyed, "Don't you remember, she went shopping with Margaret. I guess she accidentally left her phone here."

"Dude, the egg's hatching!" Mordecai yelled, "I tried calling Eileen to try and get Margaret."

"What! The egg's hatch-... Oh great, you made me wake up Robbie!"

"Look dude, I'm sorry," Mordecai appologized, trying to lower his voice a little, "Just please try to get Margaret, tell her to come home. Do you know how pissed she'll be if she misses her kid hatching, and I don't exactly know what I'm doing either!"

"Okay okay, I'll try to get her," said Rigby over the cries in the background, "Just try not to have a freakin' heart attack."

"Thanks dude." Mordecai hung up and then ran to the baby's room. The first crack had gotten a little bigger, but overall nothing had chang-...wait, was that another crack? Mordecai cursed under his breath. "Skips, where are you?"

"I came as soon as I could." Mordecai screamed and fell to the ground in surprise. Skips held back a laugh.

"Dude! How did you, where did, augh! Just help me!" Mordecai shouted.

"Alright, alright, just calm down," said Skips as he skipped over to the incubater. The two watched the egg for the next fifteen minutes or so. To Mordecai, it felt like an eternity. Only a couple more cracks had formed.

Mordecai then heard the door open, and in a flash, Margaret was right next to him. "What's happening?" Margaret asked. Not waiting for an answer, she ran over to Skips. Eileen and Rigby ran into the room.

"Rigby?" Mordecai said in surprise, "What are you doing here? What about Robbie?"

"I left him with Don," Rigby answered. Mordecai gave him a look. "What? Someone's gotta be here to make sure you don't fall apart."

Mordecai gave him a hard punch in the arm, but secretly, he knew the raccoon was right. He needed someone there to keep him together, and at the moment, Skips was busy.

A couple more cracks had formed, and the ones already there were getting bigger. "It's time," said Skips.

"Right," said Margaret. She walked over to a rocking chair they had set up in the room, and Skips opened the incubator. Taking the egg, he placed it in Margaret's wings. For birds, it was always best to be born by their mothers, either in their arms or underneith them if they didn't want to use an incubator.

The four friends surrounded the red bird, watching the egg. A grey beak pushed a couple off pieces of shell away. "You're almost there sweetie," Margaret told the baby, smiling as her eyes filling with tears.

Everyone heard a 'peep', and the top of the shell was broken, revealing a very pink and squinting bird.

"Aww," said everyone except Rigby.

"It's bald?" Rigby said. Mordecai hit him again. Skips took the bird, and looked it over. After a few moments, he smiled.

"She's perfectly healthy," said Skips, handing the baby to Margaret.

"She," breathed Mordecai.

"We have a little daughter, Mordecai," said Margaret, "Aren't you happy?"

"A daughter?...I...we...she's...?"

"Speak English, dude," said Rigby. But Mordecai didn't say anything. Instead, he smiled at Margaret and kissed her deeply. "Oh barf," Rigby commented. But the birds just ignored him. Mordecai then held his daughter in his wings, and carefully hugged her.

"She so small," Mordecai commented, "I wonder when she'll grow her feathers."

"It'll probably be a few weeks before you start to see any feathers," said Skips, "and it'll take even longer before you see any actual color. Since blue is more dominant than red, she'll probably have blue or violet feathers."

"She's so beautiful," Eileen said, looking at her goddaughter.

"Yeah, I guess she's kinda cute," said Rigby, "So, what's her name?"

"Madeline," Margaret answered, smiling at her husband. She had picked out the name if it was a boy, while Mordecai was allowed to pick the name if it was a girl.

"I picked the girl name, and I don't know, it sounded nice," explained Mordecai, still smiling. He was certain by the time the day was over, he wouldn't be able to smile without his face hurting.

It didn't take long for Benson, Pops and the others to arrive, but it took them nearly three hours to leave. By that time, the two new parents were starving. Mordecai volunteered to feed Madeline.

That was half an hour ago, and Margaret was getting suspicious. Even a newborn doesn't take this long to feed. So, she got up from the table, and walked into the baby's room. She almost cried at the sight.

With the empty bottle beside the incubator, Madeline was asleep in her warm, glass bed. She looked like an angel. Sitting in front of her, was Mordecai sitting on a chair, with a sketch pad and pencil.

It was no surprise to Margaret that Mordecai was a talented drawer. He had went to art school, and did city projects around the city that involved art, like teaching an after-school class or painting a mural. Mordecai had even drew a few pictures of Margaret that he was embarrased of, but Margaret thought were wonderful.

She snuck up behind the bluejay, and saw the picture he had drew. It was a perfect sketch of Madeline sleeping. Underneith it, Mordecai had wrote 'Maddie sleeping after feeding her for the 1st time'.

"Wow," said Margaret. Mordecai jumped, but didn't shout.

"Um, sorry I kinda forgot about dinner," he said, "I guess I just got distracted."

"It's a really great picture, Mordecai," said Margaret, smiling and kissing her husband on the cheek. The two stood up, and quietly walked out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

Both couples were now parents. Mordecai and Rigby were already talking about the cool things they could teach their kids, while Margaret and Eileen were just happy to have a baby to love.

Either way, everyone thought the same thing:

It couldn't get any better than this.

**Basically, this first chapter is the intro, then we'll have a couple chapters of Mordecai and Rigby being new parents, and then the rest will be the kids at like ten years old (I won't focus that much on making baby chapters since I don't really want to make this into Rugrats meets Regular Show). They'll also be other chapters just focusing on the adults (I mean, this is Regular Show, we have to give some attention to the main characters.)**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this (very long) first chapter. I tried to make the characters seem a little more mature, but still have the same personalities. This should be a fun story to work on, and I hope you all have fun reading it. Please review, and the next chapter should be up soon! See you then :)**


	2. Chapter 2

"Come on, Maddie! Say it."

The young bird in the high chair just stared at her father. Mordecai had just finished giving her breakfast, so why wasn't she allowed to play?

"Okay, just say 'daddy'," Mordecai said, sounding out each syllable, "Duh-ah-ee. Da-dee. Okay, can you say it, Maddie?"

"Ma!" Maddie shouted. Mordecai hung his head.

"Okay, okay," said Mordecai, "Maybe you can say, 'Mordecai'?"

"Ma! Ma!" Margaret walked over by her husband, and picked up their daughter. "Ma!" she said happily.

"That's right, Maddie. Ma ma!" Margaret said, proud of her little hatchling. She noticed Mordecai scowling a little, and smirked at him.

"That's totally unfair, you know," Mordecai commented.

"Don't be jealous."

"I'm not!" Right.

"Well then, why don't you go put Maddie in her dress, and then we can all head over to the park," said Margaret, handing the baby off to Mordecai.

"All right." Satisfied, Margaret gave him a quick kiss, and then went to her bedroom to get herself dressed.

As soon as they were in Maddie's bedroom, Mordecai set the hatchling down on the floor. She stumbled a little, but she was able to walk to her dresser. Mordecai smiled. She was a cute little girl. Just like Skips had predicted, she had grown violet feathers. She also had white stripes on her wings, just like Mordecai.

"Okay Maddie," Mordecai said, walking over to the dresser and pulling out the drawer, "What do you want to wear?"

"Ah!" Maddie replied, pointing at the blue jumper.

"Alright, simple enough." Like a pro, Mordecai got Maddie out of her pajamas and into clean clothes in five minutes flat. "Hm hm," he said when he was done.

"Hm hm," copied Maddie, making her father laugh.

"Alright, Birthday Girl," said Mordecai, taking her hand as they started to walk, "Let's go see if your mom's ready."

"Ma!"

"*Sigh*. Yes, Ma."

()()()()()()()()()

It was a perfect spot. No way they would ever find him here. Wait, he heard footsteps, and voices. Maybe he would have time to go somewhere else. No, they would catch him for sure. Maybe if he just stayed still...

"Gotcha!"

Robbie let out a yell as his father pulled him out of his hiding space, under the living room couch. "Hm hm," said Rigby, "Alright Robbie, I caught you fair and square. Now go get your teeth brushed."

The young raccoon cub growled, as he crawled over to his mother. "He sure does like hiding," commented Eileen.

"Only when he knows it's something bad," said Rigby. Just then, the phone rang. "I'll get it!" He ran over to the phone. "Hello?"

"Rigby?"

"Oh hey dude! What's up?" Rigby replied.

"Just getting ready to go to the park. You there yet?" Mordecai asked.

"Eileen just has to brush Robbie's teeth and then we'll go," Rigby answered, "So, did Maddie say it yet."

"No."

"Hm hm."

"Shut up. Your kid can say it just because he's two weeks older than mine."

"Maybe, or maybe I'm just the better dad," Rigby answered with a smirk.

"Should I remind you that a year ago, you were scared crapless about being a dad?"

"Stop talking!"

"Sta ta king!" Rigby heard Robbie shout. He smiled.

"Hey, there's going to be chocolate cake at this party, right Mordecai?"

"Duh! What's a party without chocolate cake?" Mordecai replied, sounding out the word 'chocolate' and adding like two extra syllables.

"Ohhh!" said Rigby. Birthday party, Christmas party, wedding, whatever. As long as there was chocolate cake, he was happy.

"Rigby, we're ready to go!" Eileen yelled.

"K!" Rigby yelled back. He then turned back to the phone. "I'll see you at the park, okay?"

"K. Bye."

"Bye." Rigby hung up and then he, Eileen and Robbie went out to the car."

()()()()()()()()

"I hate wearing this!"

"Oh Mikey, but you look so handsome in it!"

The five year old scowled as Starla combed his hair for the millionth time that morning. Rather than the t-shirt and shorts he would rather be wearing, he was wearing a light brown dress shirt and tan shorts. Normally, he would ask his dad for help, but Muscleman was over by the fridge with High Five chugging sodas.

"Mom, may I please go out and play?" Mikey asked, trying to sound as polite as possible.

"Sure, hun," said Starla.

"Yes!" Mikey fist pumped. He then began to run towards the back door.

"Just don't get your outfit dirty!" Starla called after him.

It had been tradition to have any and all birthday parties at the park, even for the people who no longer worked there and their kids. It was just another way to get the 'family' together again, which always made Pops happy.

Speaking of Pops, he and Benson were setting up balloon bouquets while Skips had just finished hanging a banner that said 'Happy Birthday'. They probably could've kept it up, since just two weeks ago they had another birthday party here for Robbie.

"Knock knock, anyone home?" said a voice from outside.

"Oh my, they're here!" Pops said happily, "I'll get the door." Practically flying to the door, Pops opened it and saw his old employees and their families.

"Hey Pops," Mordecai and Rigby answered in unison. Margaret and Eileen just gave a small wave to the lolliman.

"Hello everyone!" Pops greeted. He then spotted the birthday girl, holding her daddy's hand. "And a special hello for you, young lady!" He giggled and then reached into his vest. He pulled out a caramel colored, striped lolli, better known as butterscotch ripple. "Here you are, now don't spend it all in one place."

He gave the lolli to Maddie, who looked at it curiously. "Ma!"

"You're very welcome," Pops replied, "Now everyone, come in! Come in!"

"Thanks again for throwing another party," Margaret said to Pops, "throwing two birthday parties in the same month probably isn't the easiest thing to do."

"Oh nonsense, you know how I love a good party," Pops said, smiling happily. Everyone was soon in the kitchen, saying their hellos, and not noticing two certain one year olds crawling away.

"So, what's new?" Benson asked, taking a sip of soda.

"Eh, nothing much," replied Mordecai, "Um, things have been pretty cool. Margaret, Maddie and I saw that princess movie, it was okay I guess. A couple days after that, Rigby and I went bowling. So, it's been a pretty good week."

"She still hasn't said it yet, has she?" Skips asked.

"*Sigh* No."

"She'll say it eventually," Benson said, "So, besides that, have you guys gotten into any trouble lately."

Rigby rolled his eyes. "Oh come on, Benson. Do you have to ask us this everytime we come over?"

"Look, this may be hard for you to believe, but Rigby and I have matured," Mordecai said in their defense, "Besides, it wasn't like we caused that much trouble." Benson gave him a look. "Okay so, maybe we weren't perfect, but it wasn't like we were totally accident prone or whatever."

"Um, yeah you were," replied Benson, "You guys nearly got killed more times than I can count, and about half of those times, you nearly got the rest of us killed or destroyed the park...or both."

"I have to agree with Benson," Pops said.

"You guys got in trouble about once a week," added Skips.

"I'm with them on this one," said Margaret, remembering the 'Solids' incident and the camping trip. Eileen agreed with her friend.

"Oh come on, you guys are just exaggerating," said Rigby.

"No we aren't," everyone replied in unison. The two opened their mouths to argue, but then realized everyone was right, and closed their mouths, pouting a little.

"But, you guys have gotten better," Eileen said, trying to make her husband feel better. Everyone agreed with that. After all, it had been nearly five months since they caused any destruction/nearly gotten themselves killed.

The two smiled. Just then, a crash was heard. Everyone quickly got up, and looked in the living room. In the middle of the room, stood Maggie and Robbie, right next to a broken lamp, with both kids holding a part of the electrical cord. They looked shocked, but in a flash they dropped the cord, and gave their parents the best 'What broken lamp, I didn't do anything' face a one year old could give.

"Okay, nobody say a word," said Mordecai, "It was just an accident, we had nothing to do with it."

"We know you didn't," said Margaret as she and Eileen picked up the two kids.

"Why don't Mordecai and Rigby take the little ones to the giant intertwining metal castle to play while we clean this up?" Pops suggested.

Mordecai and Rigby gave the lolliman a blank look. "Intertwining metal... oh! You mean the jungle gym! Yeah, we can take them there to play." The two friends took their kids, and walked outside.

"You know, you're lucky you weren't older," Rigby said to Robbie, who was busy watching something on the ground and not paying attention at all, "If you were, Benson would've totally flipped out on you."

"Like the time you 'accidentally' smashed the refridgerator?" Mordecai said.

"I told you, you can't prove that was me!" Mordecai just simply rolled his eyes. Once the two got to the playground, they placed the two kids over by the jungle gym, and then sat on a nearby bench.

"You know, it's pretty cool that your kid and my kid are friends," Rigby said while the young raccoon and hatchling started to build a house out of sticks together.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Mordecai said, smiling. Once the kids finished making their house, they ran over to the slide, and then the swings. Both were giggling and having the time of their one year old lives.

While the kids played, Mordecai and Rigby talked about random topics, which was pretty normal for them. Unfortunately, they quickly forgot about what they were supposed to be doing.

"Dude, why would you even try eating a mushroom you found?"

"I don't know, you've seen those RPGs where you find some random object, and it turns out to be magic or gold or whatever. Well, it could happen in real life! I mean, weirder stuff has happened to us."

"Well, yeah, but really? Mushrooms are usually poisonous, dude. Just because video game ones make you bigger or invunerable doesn't mean one in real life will."

"Well, what if it was one of those fancy mushrooms. You know, tulips."

"Dude, they're truffles, not tulips. Remember that fancy restaurant Margaret and Eileen made us go to. Besides, tulips are flow-..." Mordecai then realized he hadn't heard laughing or giggling in a while. He looked up. "Dude, where are the kids?"

"Wait, I thought you were watching them," said Rigby.

"What! Aww," Mordecai said, face palming, "Dude, we have to find them!"

"Oh look! See, there they are!" Rigby pointed, and Mordecai saw where the kids were. They were just standing by a small, rabbit hole. "I knew they would be okay."

"Hm, I guess you're right," said Mordecai, a little more calm. There was no way the two kids would fit down a hole that small.

Suddenly, a hand poked out of the hole, grabbed Maddie and Robbie, and pulled them into the hole.

"Maddie/Robbie!" Mordecai and Rigby yelled. Quickly, they ran over to the hole.

"Dude! What the heck was that!" Rigby shouted.

"I don't know dude!" Mordecai stuck his arm inside the hole.

"Wait! I've got an idea!" Rigby said, before getting on all fours and sprinting away. Mordecai didn't even hear him, he was just trying to see if he could reach the kids. There was no way the hole could be that deep, could it?

"C'mon Maddie, come to daddy..." Suddenly, he felt a sharp poke. "Ow!" He quickly pulled his wing out. "Son of a-!"

"I've got the shovel!" Rigby shouted, running back to the bluejay.

"What! Dude, you can't use a shovel!" Mordecai scolded, "What if you hit the kids or something?"

"Well, how do you suggest we get the kids out, Mr. I-know-everything!" Rigby shouted back. As the two argued, they didn't notice the ground starting to crumble, until it was too late. Screaming, the two began to slide down a long tunnel. It was nearly twenty feet deep!

Finally, they landed to the ground with a thud. Rubbing their backs, they looked around.

"Aw dude, what the heck," said Mordecai, looking around. It was like a giant labyrinth of earth tunnels.

"Dude, I don't think this is a normal rabbit hole," commented Rigby.

"Oh, you think?" Rigby gave him a glare. The two stood up (surprisingly, the hole was big enough for even the six foot bluejay to stand to his full height.) "Come on, let's just find the kids."

"Wait," said Rigby, stopping him, "listen." It was silent, but from one of the tunnels, Rigby could hear muffled laughter. But even with it being far away, Rigby still recognized it. "That's Robbie! Come on dude!"

Running towards the sound, Mordecai and Rigby went down a tunnel. It seemed like the longer they ran, the farther away the kids seemed. But finally, the dark tunnels began to slowly get brighter, until they reached a small room.

"Whoa, dude," said Mordecai. The room barely looked like a cave. There was wallpaper up, but not just normal wallpaper, wallpaper that looked like it belonged in a nursary. There were a couple cribs and small beds, some toys, a bookshelf filled with picture books, an arts and crafts table, and even a small tv.

"Look!" Rigby said, pointing. Over by the small ball pit, where Robbie and Maddie, playing and tossing plastic balls at each other like nothing was wrong. "There they are."

Mordecai smiled. "Okay, let's grab them and get the H outta..." Just then, both friends felt a chill run down their spines, and the room got a little darker.

"What was that you were about to say?" The two turned, and were a little surprise. They were expecting some sort of witch or spider queen or something a little more, well, evil. Instead, they were greeted with a friendly smile from a little old lady. She was wearing a cream dress with a pink apron. She had silver hair, and grey rabbit ears that were slightly folded down. She looked like a reletive of Mother Goose.

"Oh, um hey lady," said Rigby. She looked friendly enough, but Rigby was still a little untrusting of her.

"Sorry Miss, we didn't mean to break into your, um, nursery or whatever," said Mordecai, "we just came to get our kids."

"Oh my, I can't let them leave," said the rabbit lady, walking over to the children and picking them up, "They're as sweet as sugar, I could never let them go." Neither Mordecai nor Rigby liked this strange lady holding their kids, but they kept their cool.

"Yes, it gets very lonely down here," the lady continued, pretending to dab her eyes, "My late husband passed away many moons ago, and I've found that the only way to null the pain, is with another one to love. To take care of, and to have love you back. A baby."

She smiled widely, showing off her buck teeth. But her smile fell a little. "Unfortunately, nothing good lasts forever. Oh yes, the babies are sweet when they are young. Even when they are two or three, they're still sweet and loving to their mother." She began to scowl. "But once they hit five or six, they begin wondering, questioning me. They ask about what's above the ground. They try to escape, they try to leave me! And after all I did for them, the ungrateful...!"

Her ears were folded down completely now, like a cat ready to attack. But, the fluffy rabbit ears poked up. "Oh my, I do sometimes ramble on, don't I?" she said, giggling a little, "My apologies."

"Uh, look," Mordecai said, making sure to keep calm and not make the rabbit lady angry, "I'm really sorry about your husband. You seem really nice. But, they're our kids. In fact, Maddie, the bird girl, it's her birthday today, so we should really get her back to her party."

"Oh, why I can have a party right here for her!" The bunny lady said, giving a sweet smile. In the snap of her fingers, there was a cake and balloons. The kids clapped at the happy surprise.

"Oh, no, that's fine. We don't want to trouble you," said Mordecai, getting more creeped out by the minute.

"I assure you," she said, almost in a threatening tone, "It's no trouble at all."

Rigby was getting annoyed. They were getting nowhere fast. Not only did he want his son back, but he was starting to get hungry. He wanted to get back to the safety of the house and dig into that birthday cake!

"Look lady!" Rigby said, glaring at the woman, "They're our kids! Now, I'm going to take my kid home, and you can't stop me!"

The rabbit woman simply stared at the raccoon. She didn't look angry, almost sad. She sighed. "I know how hard it must be to let your children go, but I assure you, it's the rigth choice."

Walking away, she began to explain a little bit more. "You see, when my children get too old, I have ways of keeping them," she said, "In fact, I believe you've met some of them."

Mordecai felt something brush past his foot. He looked down, and yelled. There was a small, black scorpion right by his foot. Rigby looked, and saw a hungry looking snake next to his tail. Quickly, he grabbed his tail, and moved a little closer to Mordecai. All around them, small but dangerous animals began to appear. Snakes, spiders, prarie dogs, crows, scorpions, and almost anything else you could think of that was creepy and crawly.

"They may be my pets now, but they are still just as loving," the rabbit lady said proudly, smiling as she picked up a scorpion and began stroaking its tail, "However, they do tend to get a little jealous of new babies. Normally, I can control them." She looked up, and glared at the two dads. "But there's always a chance I could let my guard down for a few precious seconds."

As if on cue, the animals began crawling or walking towards the babies. Even if they ran, by the time Mordecai and Rigby got over there, it would be too late.

"No! Stop!" They shouted. The lady raised an eyebrow, and the animals froze.

"Okay," said Mordecai, "We'll let you keep them." Rigby looked at his friend in shock. "In-in fact, we'd like to help you take care of them! Such a great mom like you probably needs a break once and a while. Maybe we can be your nannies or whatever."

"Nannies?" Rigby repeated, obviously horrified by the idea, "Dude, what are you- ow!" He was interrupted by a punch in the arm.

"Hmm, well, perhaps I could use someone to clean up a little," said the lady, thinking it over, "maybe, they could be the new man in my life." She gave Mordecai a smile. The bird tried not to throw up.

"Uh, yeah, sure!" he said, forcing a smile, "Just tell me what you would need me to do."

"Well, do you know how to use a vacumn cleaner?" As Mordecai talked with the rabbit lady, Rigby just gave him an 'are-you-kidding?' look. But Mordecai ignored it. Instead, he gave a gesture behind his back. He waved his wing back and forth as if to say, "Go! Go!"

'Oh! I get it!' Rigby thought. Quickly, he ran over to the ball pit.

"Da!" Robbie said, happy to see his dad.

"Shh," Rigby replied. Quietly, he picked up both kids. With his strength, it was definitely a challenge, but Rigby was still able to hold both kids and move quickly and quietly across the room. He was close to the exit now. Once he was there, he'd give some sort of signal, and then he and Mordecai would easily be able to make a run for it.

"SQUEEEEK!"

Rigby froze, and looked down. He had stepped on a doll.

"Oh my, what was...?" The rabbit lady turned and gasped at what she saw. Her face then turned dark. "You dare try to take away my children!"

Thinking quickly, Mordecai picked up the cake, and threw it in the old witch's face. While she was temporarily blind, Mordecai gave her a hard shove, pushing her to the ground. He then ran towards the exit, with Rigby and the kids right behind him. To make it easier on his friend, he picked up his own daughter and placed her in his wings.

"Stop them!" The lady screeched, "Don't let them get awaaaaay!" The animals began leaping towards Mordecai and Rigby, but they just kicked or slapped them away. The rabbit lady growled, and her eyes went from a normal blue, to murderous black.

Fur began growing, and she started to get bigger. Her ears were folded down again, and her yellow buck teeth could now be seen without her having to smile. Finally, the body of an old lady was replaced with a giant, killer rabbit. She let out a loud roar.

The two babies began to cry, but Mordecai and Rigby didn't try to calm them down. They just had to get out of there! The tunnel began to crumble around them.

"Dude, it's gonna bury us!" Rigby shouted, "What are we gonna do!"

"Just keep running! Look, I can see the hole!" Sure enough, they saw the vertical tunnel straight ahead, the only exit! "We're gonna make it!"

Suddenly, it felt as if the ground was shaking. Unable to keep from being curious, Rigby looked behind him. Big mistake. Running towards them was a giant rabbit, like something you would see out of a nightmare. Rigby screamed, and ran faster.

Quickly, the two started climbing up the deep tunnel, holding their kids tightly. It was a little more difficult for Rigby, since he was used to climbing with all four of his limbs, and his strength was slowly leaving him.

They heard another roar, and Robbie let out a cry. The giant beast was right behind them!

"GIVE HIM BACK! HE'S MINE!" she shouted. Rigby glared at her.

"He's my son! So step. Off!" He then gave the rabbit a hard kick in the nose. Unfortunately, it didn't effect the rabbit at all. In fact, it didn't even leave a bruise, it just made her even more mad. "Uh oh."

She let out another loud roar, and raised her right paw. "Mordecai!" Rigby shouted, "Catch!" The raccoon then threw his son upwards. Mordecai caught him by the scruff of his neck, and placed him in his left wing next to his daughter.

With both arms and legs free now, Rigby swiftly dodged the attack. It was only inches away from hitting him. Running like there was no tomorrow, Rigby ran straight up the tunnel. Once he was out, he helped Mordecai out.

But just because they were above ground didn't mean the fight was over. The beast poked the top of her body out of the hole, and began clawing at the grass, trying to pull herself up. Thinking quickly, Mordecai grabbed the shovel Rigby had brought, and slammed it down right on the rabbit's head.

Losing her grip, the rabbit let go and fell down the deep hole. They heard her screaming as she fell, and finally, a sickening thud. It was silent. Once the two were certain she wasn't going to get back up, Mordecai and Rigby sighed in relief.

"That was a close one," Rigby commented.

"Yeah," Mordecai agreed. He then remembered the kids. And how they just nearly got killed by a giant monster rabbit lady. He figured they would be crying. But there wasn't even a tear. They just looked surprised. "Um, it's okay sweetie. I'm pretty sure she's dead, or at least unconscious."

"Yeah, so everything's fine now," added Rigby, hoping to get some sort of reaction from the kids, "Okay?"

The young raccoon and bird's faces were still frozen. But then, they soon turned to a smile. "Yay! Ya! Woo!" The babies began to cheer. They couldn't say anything more than that, but their cheers said it all. As they continued cheering, they crawled over to their daddies and hugged them, proud of them.

"Yeah, your dad is awesome," Rigby said to Robbie as he picked him up, "He cleaned that lady's clock!" Mordecai just rolled his eyes.

"Come on, let's get back to the house before they send out a search party."

()()()()()()()()

Needless to say, Mordecai and Rigby had to explain a little.

"What happened?" Margaret had asked, "You guys look like you've been through an earthquake!"

"Uh, just a little dirt incident," answered Mordecai.

"But, it's cool," said Rigby, giving his 'innocent' smile, "Really." No one really believed them, but for the moment, they decided to let it slide. After all, this was Maddie's party. After birthday cake (which was delicious!), it was presents time.

"Here you go," Benson said, handing the young hatchling a wrapped box. He didn't have much experience picking out presents, but Pops helped him pick it out. Margaret opened it for her, and Maddie looked in the box. Inside was a plush rabbit, with the same fur color as the rabbit lady.

"No!" she shouted, trying to push the box away. She began to whine and cry.

"What's wrong sweetie?" Margaret asked, "Don't you like it?"

"Um, maybe she's just cranky," Mordecai said, thinking quickly, "I'll just put it away, I'm sure she'll play with it later Benson." Taking the lid, Mordecai covered the box and placed it underneith the table where the pile of wrapping paper was.

Maddie was smiling once more. She clapped happily. "Yay! Yay! Da! Da! Da!" she shouted.

"Hey! Did you hear that!" Mordecai shouted excitedly, "She said it!"

"Da! Da! Da!" Maddie continued saying, smiling at her hero.

"Who's the better dad now?" Mordecai said to Rigby, "Ohhhh!"

Margaret smiled and shook her head. "I knew she would say it eventually."

All in all, it had been a pretty good day. Mordecai just hoped not all of his daughter's birthdays would be like this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, I mean, wow. I can't believe how much positive feedback this story has gotten! Thank you guys so much! Anyway, this is another little kids chapter. After this, the story will flash forward to the kids in 5th grade and that's where it'll pretty much stay the rest of the story. **

**Just a heads up, this chapter won't be as crazy as the last one. It's more of a chance to know a little of the kids' personalities (though you'll won't really get to know them until the next chapter), and to see the side characters again. But don't worry, expect your normal dose of Regular craziness in future chapters. Okay, here we go! **

"Noooo!"

"Come on, Robbie!"

"Noooo!" Robbie howled again. He had an iron grip on his bed and wouldn't let go. He was still in his pajamas, and wasn't planning on getting dressed anytime soon. His father was pulling on his ankles, trying to get his son to let go.

"Come on, Robbie! It's just kindergarden!"

Rigby and Eileen had been telling Robbie that he was going to kindergarden for the past few months, and the five year old seemed alright with it. But from the moment the raccoon cub woke up, he decided he wasn't going to school. And just like his father, Robbie was stubborn.

'Gee, was I like this when I had to go to school?' Rigby thought, trying to remember his first day of school, 'Nah, I'm sure it's just Robbie.' Rigby pulled harder, but Robbie's grip never weakened.

"Eileen! Help!" Rigby shouted. Eileen was in the room after a few moments, with a mug of coffee in her hands, and her librarian clothes on. But rather than helping her husband pull, Eileen decided to take the smarter approach.

"Sweetie, why don't you want to go to school?" Eileen asked her son.

"Because!" Robbie said simply.

"But you'll have so much fun." Rigby snickered a little, but was silenced. "You'll have a whole new set of toys to play with, and you'll learn so much!"

"But Mama, I can just learn at your library," Robbie said.

"I guess you could," said Eileen, "but it won't be as fun without a teacher there to help you. Besides, at school you'll have lots of new friends to meet, and Madeline will be there too."

"Maddie?" He remembered the bird saying something about going to school, but Robbie didn't know they would be at the same school. Robbie and Maddie had been best friends as long as they could remember. If Maddie was there, maybe school wouldn't be so bad.

"Yeah," added Rigby, "so it's not like you're the only one suffer-er-I mean, the only one who has to go."

The young cub thought it over, and after a few minutes, he let go of his bed. "That's my little guy," Eileen said smiling, "Your breakfast is on the table, so you can eat after you get dressed. Alright?"

"Okay Mama," said Robbie, before walking over to his closet. Rigby looked at his wife in awe.

"How do you do that?" Rigby asked. Eileen just simply shrugged her shoulders.

"I just use the same technique I use when I have to persuade you," said Eileen, with a smile, "Now come on, I made waffles."

"Awesome!" Rigby loved his wife's cooking. He could smell the sweet, buttery squares from his son's bedroom. They practically made his mouth water. He could smell the waffles on his wife too. He got closer to her, taking in her scent and finally, kissing her neck softly. Eileen turned a bright red.

"Ew! Mom! Dad! You guys are so gross!"

Eileen giggled at her repulsed five year old. 'He's definitely Rigby's son,' she thought.

()()()()()()()()()

Since the kindergarden was only a couple blocks away, Rigby and Robbie could walk there. Eileen would've come too, but she had to get to the library early thanks to a book festival opening that day.

"So Dad, what do they have at kindergarden?" Robbie asked, turning his head to look at his father (who was only a few inches taller than Robbie).

"Uh," Rigby thought, "building blocks, paint, toys, paper, crayons, books, those... black walls you write on. You know, school stuff."

"How long do I have to go to school?"

"Until you deci-..." Rigby stopped himself. He was going to say 'Until you decide to drop out', but he figured Eileen wouldn't be happy about Robbie being a dropout. "Until you're finished, which won't be for a few years. But don't worry, I've heard it goes by fast."

"Oh." All his questions answered, Robbie continued walking, looking around at all the buildings they passed until they reached the school. Just as the two raccoons arrived, two certain birds arrived too.

"Dude!" Rigby greeted happily.

"Hey dude," replied Mordecai. He was wearing an old pair of jeans and a tee that already had paint stains on it, which meant he had a painting job to go to after he dropped off his daughter.

Speaking of the little bird...

"Hi Maddie," Robbie said, "Wow, you look different."

"I know," Maddie said, not particularly happy about it. She was wearing a dark blue blouse and a plaid skirt. She was also wearing tights and shiny black shoes. She looked as if she were going to a private school. Her violet feathers shone in the sunlight. Like her parents, her feathers on the top of her head stuck up, but she had longer feathers on the back of her head that were tied into a neat ponytail, as well as black barrets clipping together some of her side feathers.

"I told Mommy if I wore this, I wouldn't be able to play that well," Maddie explained, "But she said I should look nice for the first day of school. At least you like yourself."

Robbie's hairstyle was similar to Rigby's, and his fur had gotten a little darker over the years, but it still had that golden tint to it. Robbie also now wore glasses. As for his clothes, Robbie had picked out blue shorts (perfect to play in) and a red tee.

"Alright Maddie," said Mordecai, "I'll have to work late today, and Rigby has to work too, so you'll both be going home with Benson today."

"Benson?" Both kids repeated, not exactly happy about the decision, especially since they didn't get a say in it. It wasn't like they didn't like Benson. Benson was nice to them, and when they saw Benson, that also meant seeing Pops and Skips too. It's just that, Benson could be a little strict.

"I know he can be a little tough," said Mordecai, "But it's only for a couple hours. Besides, I bet Pops will make you guys a snack or something." That was all the persuasion they needed. Pops' cooking was delicious, even if it was a little strange.

With both kids happy, the group of four walked into the school. Rigby and Mordecai met the kindergarden teacher, who was nice but maybe just a little too perky. After she was done meeting the two fathers, she lowered herself to the kids' level.

"Hello there!" she said with a happy smile, "I'm Miss Katherine." She had neat, blonde hair and was wearing a bright pink dress, with not a single wrinkle on it. She looked at Maddie. "You must be little Madeline Quintel."

"Maddie," Maddie corrected, with a small scowl. She always hated when she was called Madeline. The only time she liked using her full name was when she was playing princess, just because it sounded like a royal name.

"Of course," Miss Katherine said, her smile not faultering, "And you must be little Robert Salyers. You are such a cutie pie!" Maddie snickered, but Robert glared at her. "Well, I hope you two have a super fun, happy time here!"

The kids said goodbye to their fathers, and then walked themselves into the playroom. Most of the kids in the room were human, but there were a couple animal children, like a little pigeon girl and a weasel boy.

"What'cha wanna do?" Maddie asked.

"Look! Building blocks, just like Dad said!" Robbie said, pointing at the small pile of building blocks. The two were about run over to the blocks when their teacher clapped her hands.

"Okay kiddies!" she said with that same happy smile, "Table time! Everyone take a seat!" Both kids pouted, but they took a seat anyway. They were curious about what this 'teacher' lady had to say. Once everyone was in a small plastic chair, Miss Katherine praised them and let out a happy giggle.

"She reminds me of Pops," Robbie whispered. Maddie nodded in agreement.

"I think she has a few screws loose," Maddie added, remembering a phrase Benson had said before. Both kids giggled.

"Alright kiddies," Miss Katherine said, picking up a piece of chalk, "How about we start the day with something simple and fun!" She practically floated off the floor. The perky teacher then began to write a long, complecated algerbra equation, like something you would see in a college class. "Alright, who wants to solve it?"

You could practically see the question marks above their heads. Suddenly, the door slammed open. "There you are!"

The kids quickly turned to see a rather annoyed looking woman in the doorway. She had curly, dark brown hair and was dressed a little more casual than their teacher, wearing blue jeans and a nice but not too fancy blouse. She definitely looked less plastic and more realistic than their teacher. "How many times have I told you, this is _my _job!"

"But I wanted to play teacher today," Miss Katherine said, flashing a pair of sad, teary eyes.

"I know, but guess what, I found a box of cake mix in the cabinet." The blonde instantly perked up.

"Oh goodie! I love love love love _love _baking tasty treats!" she said.

"I know, now go on," said the brunette. The blonde skipped out of the room, and the other woman just rolled her eyes. She then looked at the confused group of kindergardeners. "Sorry about that, my sister isn't exactly normal. Definitely sweet and perky, but normal? Forget about it. Anyway, I'm the real Miss Katherine." She saw the equation on the board, and just shook her head as she erased it. "So, who here knows the ABCs?"

A few kids, including Maddie and Robbie, smiled. Now that was something they actually knew. "Well then, why don't we start with that? For those of you who know the ABCs, you can help us along."

()()()()()()()()()()

After ABCs, the real Miss Katherine went over colors and sizes before announcing lunchtime. The kids ran over to the self where their mothers and fathers had placed their bag lunches and grabbed them.

"What did your mommy make for lunch?" Maddie asked. Robbie dumped his lunch out of the bag and on the table.

"A ham sandwich, potato chips, and chocolate pudding. What about you, Maddie?"

"A banana, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, some cheetos, and a vanilla snack cake." She picked up the vanilla cake and looked at it. Chocolate was so much better. She then saw Robbie's pudding. "Hey Robbie, I'll trade you!"

"No," Robbie said simply.

"Pleeeeeeease!" Maddie pleaded. But Robbie shook his head and continued eating his sandwich. Maddie pouted, and then hit Robbie in the arm.

"Ow! Hey!" Robbie hit back.

"Ow!" Both kids continued hitting each other, and it would've continued for the rest of lunch if Katherine hadn't stepped in.

"Hey you two," she said, "No hitting!" Both kids looked at her with confused faces.

"Why not?" Maddie asked, "We always do this."

"Yeah," agreed Robbie, "and it's not like we're hurting each other. We hit, but we don't hit hard."

"I don't care how hard you hit," Katherine said, "There's no hitting aloud. What would your parents say?"

"Our dads hit each other too," Maddie said. Robbie nodded, agreeing. Katherine sweatdropped.

"Well, just stop hitting each other or you'll both get time out," Katherine said.

"Okay," both kids agreed in unison. Once the teacher was gone, they turned their attention back to their lunch. Maddie felt a small pinch and yelped. She then glared at Robbie.

"She didn't say anything about pinching," Robbie explained, smiling.

"Right, which means..." Maddie reached over and pinched Robbie's arm. He yelped, and the two glared at each other. But after only a few moments, they burst into a fit of laughter.

When they were almost done with their lunch, and when Maddie was about to eat her snack cake, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked and saw Robbie handing her the pudding, only half of it eaten. Maddie smiled, and then gladly handed the raccoon boy all of her cake.

The rest of the day went off without any trouble. The kids drew, learned about farm animals and forest animals, and had nap time. After that, the other Miss Katherine returned with a big, delicious chocolate cake. Since the real Miss Katherine knew it would be hard for the kids to concentrate after eating cake, she gave them free time for the rest of the day.

Of course, the kids went over to the pile of blocks. About an hour later, the door opened. "Hello?" said a familiar voice. Maddie and Robbie looked up.

"Hello, what can I do for you?" Miss Katherine asked.

"My name's Benson Marin, I'm here to pick up Maddie and Robbie," replied Benson.

"Benson!" Both kids quickly ran over to the gumball machine. "Hey Benson!"

"Hey kids," Benson replied, giving them a small smile.

"Hey Benson, look what we made!" Robbie said, pointing at the mountain of building blocks the two friends had spent the past hour building.

"It's a rocket Princess castle," Maddie added.

"Oh. Uh, cool," said Benson, "Alright, let's go." The kids said goodbye to their teacher and her perky sister, and then followed Benson to the golf cart.

()()()()()()()()()

As soon as the three arrived at the old green house in the park, Pops was there, waiting for them with a smile and a batch of homemade cookies.

"Hello Maddie and Robbie!" the lolliman said cheerfully, "Did you have a nice day at school."

"Yeah. Uh huh," both kids said in unison, eyeing the cookies. Pops noticed this, and handed them a couple cookies each. They thanked them and then ran off into the house.

"I must say, those two are definitely free spirited," Pops commented, "Just like Mordecai and Rigby."

"Free spirited? Well, that's one way of putting it," said Benson. Pops just giggled, and the two continued inside, shutting the door behind them.

"So, what do you wanna do?" Maddie asked as she finished off her second cookie.

"You wanna play old video games?" Robbie suggested, pointing at their fathers' old system, still working even after all these years (and surprisingly hadn't been destroyed). "Or maybe watch tv?"

"No. Those games are kinda hard. And tv's too boring," said Maddie.

"Well, what should we do then?" Robbie asked. Maddie thought for a moment.

"Let's look around the house!" Since they weren't at the old house that often, there were a lot of rooms they hadn't explored. The only ones they had been in is the kitchen, living room, and Pops' room when they listened to him play the piano.

So, the kids began walking around the first floor, peering behind each corner and opening every door. They were curious about each room, but most of them looked pretty empty, so they continued on.

Finally, they came to a door with a window. "I wonder what this room is," Robbie asked.

"Let's check it out!" Maddie said, happily. Quietly, they reached for the knob, turned it, and pushed the door open together. Inside the room, there was a desk, a small lamp, a computer, some papers and a book.

"Look, a computer!" Robbie said. He climbed into the wheely chair, and pulled himself towards the desk. But then, he frowned. "How do I turn it on?"

"Try pressing the long key," Maddie suggested. Robbie pressed the space bar, but nothing happened. "I guess it's broken. Here, help me up there!"

Robbie grabbed Maddie's wings, and pulled her onto the chair. They were both so small, they could both stand on the chair and still have plenty of room.

"Look, a book!" Maddie said. She hoped it was a fairy tale book. Quickly, she opened it, and found herself reading a bunch of words she didn't understand. "Aw, no pictures. Well, I bet I can fix that." She turned to a page with no words, and began drawing. Wanting to join in the fun, Robbie grabbed the stray papers on the desk, and drew on them.

The kids mostly drew pictures of random things. Maddie drew things like flowers, cookies, the bike she wanted for her birthday, and other kid things. On his paper, Robbie drew things he had remembered reading in books, like dinosaurs, rockets, and jungle animals. The kids would tease or complement each other on their drawings, and would just simply have fun drawing. But unfortunately, it obly lasted for about ten minutes.

"What are you two doing in here?" The kids looked up, and saw Benson in the doorway, not looking too happy. Knowing they were probably in trouble, Maddie closed the book, Robbie flipped the papers over, and they both jumped down from the chair.

"We weren't doing anything," Maddie said quickly.

"Yeah, nothing," agreed Robbie. But Benson ignored them. He instead walked over to the desk to see what the damage was. Flipping over the papers, his eyes got wide and his gumballs began to change colors. "Kids!"

"We were just drawing a little," Maddie explained quietly.

"Kids, these were very important papers! Ugh, I worked forever on these!" Benson looked down at the two friends, ready to let them have it, but was stopped.

"Sorry Benson," said Robbie, feeling like he should appologize first since he drew on the papers.

"Yeah, sorry," said Maddie.

Benson looked at them, and then sighed. Calmed down a little, Benson started tp speak again. "I know you guys are sorry. But next time, please don't come in here. This is my office, not a playroom. Okay?"

Both kids nodded, understanding. "So, are we in trouble?" Robbie asked.

"...No. Just go play somewhere else, okay?" Benson asked.

"Okay," both kids replied. They quickly turned around and left the room, just as Pops showed up.

"Benson, what happened?" Pops asked.

"They drew on my papers," Benson said, still feeling a little frusterated, "my park reports, the bills, everything! It'll take me a good two hours to re-copy everything."

"If you would like, I can offer you some assistance, my good man," Pops offered.

"Thanks Pops, I'd really appreciate that." Pops smiled at the gumball machine, and then began gathering the papers. But the lolliman couldn't help but look at the pictures. "Oh, look! Here's a picture of you, Benson!"

Benson turned, and looked at the picture. Sure enough, there was a crudley drawn picture of Benson. Despite the fact that they had colored his gumballs red, Benson was smiling in the picture, and the real Benson couldn't help but smile back.

"It sure is a joy to have them around," Pops commented.

"Yeah, but it's also tiring," added Benson.

"Didn't you say the same thing about Mordecai and Rigby," Pops reminded Benson, "even though you all were secretly glad to be friends with each other?"

Benson didn't answer. Pops noticed that the gumball machine looked away, like he didn't want to admit that while they were tiring and always gave him extra work, he did occasionally miss having them around. "Don't you have papers to help me with?"

Pops just giggled. Same old stubborn Benson. But for Pops, that's what made Benson so likable. He had a good heart and cared about his friends, he just had a hard time admiting it.

Meanwhile, Maddie and Robbie were back in the living room, thinking of something to do. Just then, the door opened, and they heard the steady rhythm of skipping footsteps.

"Skips!" they both said happily. Quickly, they ran over to the old yeti.

"Hey kids," he said. He was dropping off a broom, he had just finished sweeping the sidewalk around the fountain and the snack bar.

"Can we play with you, Skips?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, your house is always so cool!" Robbie commented. Skips thought it over. He had just finished all his chores, so he had no other plans.

"Yeah, alright," Skips answered. The kids cheered, and together, they walked out the door.

"Hey Skips," said Robbie, "Can we play the flying game?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! I love the flying game!" Maddie shouted happily, "Please Skips!"

"Well..." Skips said with a smile, pretending to think it over. He always played this game with the kids whenever they came over, and they always enjoyed it. "I guess so." The two friends cheered, and Skips picked each of them up with one hand.

"Wait, I don't think I can," Maddie said, getting a little scared, despite already doing this a hundred times.

"Nope, no turning back now," Skips said. Using his great strength, he threw both kids up in the air. They screamed and squealed with laughter. Like an expert, Skips caught both kids, not letting them even get close to the ground.

"Again! Again!" Maddie shouted.

"Do it, Skips!" Robbie agreed. Skips chuckled, and threw the two back in the air. After a few more throws, Skips caught the kids and placed them on his shoulders, and skipped to his house. Once they there, he placed the two back on the floor and let them walk around. Even though the decor in the one room house hadn't changed, the kids still thought it was as cool as ever.

Maddie spotted the dream catcher, and reached up to try and touch it. "Put your arm down," Skips called from across the room, not even having to look. Maddie obeyed, and then joined Robbie who was sitting on the bed.

"Here," Skips, handing them a juice box from his mini fridge. He sat on the floor, while the two kids sat on the bed, sipping the juice.

"Skips, could you please tell us another one of those legend stories?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah! Like the one with babies guards!" Maddie said, remembering one of her favorite legends.

"The Guardians of Youth," corrected Skips, "I guess I could tell that one again. Alright, once, there was a warrior who wanted nothing more than to live forever..."

As Skips spun his tale of magic and journeys, the kids began to slowly doze off. They rested their heads on Skips shoulders and fell asleep. Skips didn't mind though, even with a nap at school, he knew they were probably tired. So, Skips just simply put his head back, and fell asleep too.

"Wow, I didn't think I would ever see that picture."

"Yeah, but I guess it's kinda cute."

"Dude, being a dad has totally made you soft."

"Shut up."

Skips lifted his head up, and saw Mordecai and Rigby in his doorway. "Hey guys," he said, quickly waking himself up, but still half asleep.

"Hey dude," Mordecai greeted, "Thanks for watching them for us."

"No problem," Skips said, not really minding at all.

"You're not going soft on us, are you Skips," Rigby joked,

"Watch it kid. I may be decades older than you, but we both know I can still kick your..."

"Daddy?" Maddie started to wake up. Robbie began to wake up too, so Skips handed the raccoon his glasses (he had taken them off for him so they wouldn't break).

"Hey Maddie," Mordecai said, smiling as he picked up his little girl. Maddie smiled and hugged him. Robbie did the same thing when he got close to Rigby.

Together, the five walked back to the house, and everyone said their goodbyes.

"Do come back soon!" Pops said as he waved.

"We will, Pops!" Maddie said, waving back. She then looked at the yeti. "Bye Skips!"

"Thanks for the cool story! And for playing the flying game with us!" Robbie shouted. Skips did wave, but he did smile at the two.

As Mordecai's car drove away, Pops turned to Skips. "Skips my friend, did you have fun with Maddie and Robbie today?"

"Yeah, I did," Skips answered, still smiling a little. He had never really had to deal with kids before. He did have a pack before he earned himself immortality, but because he was a male, he hunted and never had to help raise the younger yetis of his pack.

But of course, Skips knew everything, so he didn't really need experience raising kids. But, he enjoyed getting the experience, by playing and helping take care of Maddie and Robbie.

And while they did occasionally cause trouble, Pops, Skips, even Benson agreed, that they were happy to have the two little kids around.

"So, how was school?" Mordecai asked.

"Yeah, how was that weird teacher?" Rigby asked. Mordecai hit him in the arm.

"Dude!"

"What, she was weird, like one of those creepy clowns that always smile!" The kids giggled.

"She was weird," Maddie said, "she wasn't even our real teacher."

"What?" Mordecai and Rigby asked in unison.

"Oh don't worry, our real one came," Robbie said.

"Oh, well, okay," said Mordecai, still a little confused. He then glanced over to the side of the car, and noticed a new giant structure in the park. "Since when does the park have a giant castle rocket ship?"

"Yeah, and what's with the random flowers?" Rigby added.

The kids didn't say anything, they just smiled at each other. "I told you there was something magic about that book," Maddie whispered.

**Yeah, sorry if this chapter was boring. And no, Maddie and Robbie aren't going to be exact clones of Mordecai and Rigby. In the next chapter, they'll actually have personalities. Remember, they were only like five in this chapter. Okay, thanks for reading, and please review :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Again, thank you all so much for the reviews/favorites/alerts :) Here's chapter four! Remember, we flashforward to when the kids are ten. Enjoy!**

The seconds ticked away quickly, and yet it seemed like they took forever. The hot summer sun shining in the window didn't exactly help either. Maddie glanced up at the chalkboard. Her teacher, a middle aged man who looked like he would rather be anywhere else but there in the classroom ('You and me both,' Maddie thought), was still lecturing them about some math problem or history lesson or something like that.

Normally, Maddie would be listening, even if it was something she didn't care about in the slightest. But this was the last day of school! The last day of fifth grade! She couldn't help but want to get out of there as fast as possible. The bird wiped the sweat off her violet feathers and then glanced up at the clock.

12:45

The bird had to keep herself from groaning. What was the point of getting out early if it still felt like forever? The only thing keeping Maddie from jumping out of the window and escaping this insanity ('How is the teacher still talking!') was daydreaming about everything her and her best friend were going to do this summer.

Speaking of best friend...

"Mr. Saylers!" A head of dirty blonde fur poked up. "I know my lecture may not be the most interesting thing in the world, but you can at least humor me and put away the book."

Robbie scowled, and put the book in his backpack. Maddie couldn't help but smile a little. Robbie was definitely what you would call a bookworm. He wasn't a nerd like some would think, he didn't just stay inside and read all day. But whenever there was nothing to do or if he was simply in the mood, Robbie liked nothing better than to open a good book. He usually stuck to action stories, but also read humor, sci-fi, fantasy, even westerns. He also read romance, but only when he had to. But for every book in his collection, he also had comics, magazines, world record books and even the occasional manga.

"Thank you," said the teacher, before starting right where he left off.

"Busted," Maddie whispered. Robbie stuck his tongue at her. "So, was it more interesting than this?" she asked, referring to the book he was reading during the lecture.

"Watching paint dry is more interesting than this," Robbie replied. They both giggled.

"Watching grass grow is more exciting," Maddie retorted. Both of them tried to think of more things that were more interesting or exciting.

"Watching ice melt."

"Watching leaves change colors."

Which each new example they came up with, there was a fit of giggles, until they were interrupted. "Ms. Quintel, Mr. Saylers. Do you have something to add?"

"No Sir," they both replied. Satisfied (or perhaps too tired to argue anymore), the man continued his lecture. The two friends glanced up at the clock.

"Five minutes!" Maddie whispered/screeched, "That only killed five minutes!" Both kids groaned as quietly as they could. This vacation couldn't have come any sooner.

But eventually, the two hands hit those two magic numbers, and the students recieved their freedom. Robbie, Maddie and the rest of the students cheered as they made their way outside. While most kids rode the bus, Maddie and Robbie's house were only a couple blocks away. So, they walked over to the bike rack.

Maddie unlatched her bright blue bike, and sat on it. Her outfit, a light purple tank top and dark blue gym shorts, combined with the bike definitely made her look prepared for summer. Robbie had his summer clothes on too, a green tee and light blue shorts.

"Still room in the basket if you want a ride," Maddie offered, gesturing to the basket at the front of her handlebars.

"No, I'm good," said Robbie, "besides, we both know I'm faster than that bike."

"Maybe in the winter or spring when the weather's slowing me down," said Maddie, with a sly smirk. Robbie glared at her.

"What, you don't believe me?" Robbie asked. Maddie shrugged her shoulders, acting like it was no big deal. But she knew that Robbie was just as competitive as Rigby (which that, combined with his speed, made him a great member of the junior track team), and she knew just how to push his buttons. "Well then, let's just prove it!"

The young raccoon got down on all fours, his tail swishing back and forth in anticipation. He quickly adjusted his glasses. Maddie squeezed her handlebars, and put one foot on the peddle.

"Ready...GO!" Both shot off like a rocket. They were neck and neck for half a block, but then Maddie switched gears and began to pull ahead. But Robbie wasn't going to let that happen. Getting himself into a rhythm, he picked up his speed and caught up to the bird. They were neck and neck again, and after almost two blocks, Maddie started slowing down. They decided to end the race at the intersection a few buildings away. Robbie won by about five feet.

"I...told ya...I was... faster!" Robbie said, nearly out of breath.

"Yeah, yeah," said Maddie as she took a drink from her water bottle, "Drink?" Once the two had caught their breath, they had to decide which way to go. Either go right and go to Maddie's house one block away. Or, they could turn left and go to Robbie's house, two and a third blocks away. Since it was closer, they decided to go right.

Once they went into Maddie's house, they heard the sounds of lazers and gun fire. "Oh yeah, in your face!" Both kids smiled.

"Hey Dad," they said in unison as they walked to Maddie's room.

"Hey guys," said Rigby, concentrating on the tv. Even at thirty, Mordecai and Rigby still enjoyed playing video games. Of course they had upgraded to a better system, and because they had jobs and families they couldn't play as much anymore, which made when they did play all the more fun.

"I thought Mom said if you played anymore games, she was selling your system on eBay," Maddie said. Mordecai gave her a look, and both the kids and Rigby giggled.

"Actually, your mom said that if I played video games and didn't finish my comics for the week, she would sell my system," Mordecai corrected. Since he didn't have any mural painting jobs or any art to do, Mordecai had gotten a temporary job writing and drawing comics for the local newspaper. They were a big hit, so he got paid pretty well. "So, how was school?"

"Torture," Maddie answered.

"Yep, that's school for ya," said Rigby. Robbie looked over his dad's shoulders (after climbing onto the back of the couch). "Press B now," the younger raccoon said. Rigby did, and his player launched a grenade, blowing up several enemies.

"Ohhh!" Rigby shouted, "Thanks Robbie." Robbie smiled.

"Nice, you're only ten and you're already better than your dad at video games," Mordecai said.

"Stop talking!" Both kids laughed. "When your done putting your stuff in your room, Pops brought over some cookies, so you guys can have a couple."

"Thanks!" Maddie and Robbie quickly went into Maddie's room. It wasn't a big room, but still big enough if the kids wanted to play a board game or something. Her room definitely represented her passion: Baseball. All over her room, there were baseball caps and balls, posters for her favorite team, and pictures of her with her teammates on the junior baseball team. But there were also a few more girly things in her room like hair accessories and a couple stuffed animals.

Maddie and Robbie quickly threw their bags onto the floor, and then ran into the kitchen where a big plate of cookies was waiting for them.

"So," Robbie said as he munched on a cookie, "What should we do for the rest of the day?"

"I dunno," Maddie replied, shrugging her shoulders, "But what ever we do, it should be something big. Something we don't do very often, you know, since it's the last day of school. We need to celebrate!"

"Like go to the big water park?" Robbie suggested, "Or go camping?"

"Nah, the water park is too expensive, and we go camping like two or three times a summer." Maddie looked down at her cookie, thinking. "It's too bad we didn't have those sparkler things, you know, from last 4th of July."

"How could I forget? You tripped and accidentally threw your sparkler in the potato salad?" Robbie said with a smirk, "The whole party smelt like burnt potatoes."

"At least I didn't almost burn the park down," Maddie countered.

"I told you, I thought I burnt my hand and I dropped it by accident! Besides, Skips put the fire out before it spread." Maddie giggled at the memory. Parties at the park were always fun. Usually some sort of disaster would happen before the party ended, but it was still fun.

"We should throw a party," Maddie said, "Get some food, some sparklers, some decorations, and go over to the park."

"I think we have a couple bags of chips at my house," Robbie said, "And Pops always has some balloons and other decorations." Maddie smiled. This just might work.

"Hey, Dad!"

()()()()()()()()()()

The gentle sound of the ivory keys echoed through the room. Pops' hands happily danced as he played a happy, classical melody. But just as he was about to finish the piece, he heard a knock at the front door. Despite being upstairs, he still jumped up and headed towards the stairs.

By the time he got to the staircase, Benson had already answered the door. "Oh, hey kids," Benson said.

"Hi Benny," Maddie said, smiling. Benson gave her a look.

"Maddie, what did we talk about?"

Maddie sighed and slightly rolled her eyes. "Fine, _Benson_." Benson gave a nod of approval.

"Oh, Maddie! Robbie! Hello!" Pops practically flew downstairs, and gave both of them a big hug. Skips also appeared out of nowhere, and gave the two kids a friendly smile. "What brings you here? Would you two like a snack?"

"We're good," Robbie answered, "We were just wondering something."

"Do you think we can have a party here tonight?" Maddie asked, "We've already got chips and soda."

"Oh my, a party! What a fantastic idea! After all, the first day of summer is something to celebrate!" Pops said before giggling, "Benson, my good man, may we throw a celebratory summer party?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure we have some burgers in the meat locker," Benson thought, "And you still have some cookies leftover from the baking you did today, right Pops?" Pops nodded, his face now bright with anticipation. "Hmm, I guess we can have a party."

The kids and Pops cheered. The lolliman quickly hugged Benson. "Thank you! Oh! I still have balloons and streamers in my room! I shall go get them!" And with that, Pops ran back upstairs. Benson just smiled and shook his head.

"Alright, you guys can use the phone here to call your parents and tell them about the party," said Benson.

"Okay," said Maddie, "and after that, we'll go get the last thing we need for the party."

"What is it?" Benson asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, nothing," Robbie answered, "just something to add a little more _spark _to the party." Maddie mentally face palmed. Robbie definitely got his dad's sense of humor.

"Alright, just nothing too crazy, or at least no more crazy than what usually happens." And with that, the kids thanked Benson, and ran to the phone in the kitchen. After they called their dads, and then both their moms at work, they went outside.

"Okay, it's only like a month before July, so there should be at least one store with sparklers," said Robbie.

"Let's check out the mega store first," suggested Maddie, "they always get the holiday stuff out early, so they should have some sparklers."

"What are you guys doing?" The kids looked up, and scowled. In front of them was a twelve year old, overweight boy with pasty green skin, messy and greasy brown hair, a light blue tee shirt, brown shorts, and a dark green baseball cap. He was standing on one of those new electric scooters that were supposed to be the latest in technology and could do awesome tricks.

"Nothing that would interest you, Micheal," Maddie said, glaring at him.

"How do you know?" Mikey countered.

"Fine, it's nothing we want to tell you about," said Robbie. The two tried to go around him, but Mikey kept blocking their path. "Okay fine! We'll tell you! Benson's letting us throw a party at the park, and I guess you and your family are invited."

"Like we would want to go," Mikey said, "So, where are you going?"

"We're going to go get some sparklers and mini fireworks for the party," Maddie answered, "Now buzz off!"

"Let me guess, you're going to look for the lame fireworks at the dollar store," Mikey said. Before they could even answer, Mikey said "I thought so. You don't even know where to get the good fireworks like I do. Follow me, and I'll show you."

"Since when do you want to help us?" Robbie asked.

"I don't, but I know my parents and High Five are gonna want to go to the party, and I'll have to go too, and I'm not going to a party with lame fireworks. So come on!"

Mikey turned his scooter and began driving away. Since they really didn't have a choice, they followed him. After nearly half an hour, they were almost out of town, and still no fireworks.

"I sweat Mikey, if you're just doing this to waste our time..." Maddie warned.

"What, you're going to hit me with one of your lame curveballs?" Mikey said.

"Go jump off a cliff," Maddie growled. Finally, Mikey turned off the road and headed into...

"The dump?" Robbie said, "You want us to get the fireworks out of the trash?"

"No idiot, just follow me!" Mikey shouted, driving farther into the dump. Maddie and Robbie both had a bad feeling about this, but again, they really didn't have a choice. Besides, Mikey was the only one who knew the way back to the park. So, they went into the dump.

After five more minutes of looking, Mikey found what he was looking for. There was an old sewage pipe in the middle of the dump, leading to a small lake of mud and trash. "Gross/sick!" Maddie and Robbie said at the same time.

"Oh stop being such wussies!" Mikey said, walking through the lake. Maddie and Robbie reluctantly followed. When they got to the front of the pipe, they saw it was sealed with a piece of metal. Mikey knocked on the metal, and a small door opened.

"Password?"

"Junkyard bulldog monkey."

"Password accepted... Wait, who are they? No elementary kids here!"

"It's fine, they're with me, plus they were in fifth grade," said Mikey, "So they'll be middle schoolers next year."

"Fine," said the voice. The piece of metal then slid open, giving the kids an opening to travel through. They saw a tough looking eighth grader beside the door. "Come in," he said.

Mikey went in first, with Maddie and Robbie following behind. The pipe was big enough so that they could all stand up straight as they walked. When they finally reached the end of the long tunnel, Maddie and Robbie couldn't believe it, while Mikey just smirked. "Told ya I knew what I was doing."

"This place is _huge_!" It was a giant room, painted brown giving it a dark tone, but there were plenty of lights to brighten it up. There were dozens of small stands and gazebos, each with a long line of kids. There were stands selling action figures, video games, copied movies and cds, clothes, food, answer sheets for quizzes and tests, tickets for shows and movies, and there was even a stage set up for auctioned items (currently they were auctioning keys to the teachers' lounge at the middle school).

"Here we are," Mikey said, stopping at a stand. It had a sign that said 'Quality Fireworks'. It had a whole array of fireworks, firecrackers, sparklers, and even cherry bombs! "What can I get ya?" said the eighth grader, running the stand.

"We just need some fireworks and sparklers," Maddie said, "We've got about fifteen dollars."

"Hey, any amount of money is good here," the kid said with a sly smile. He quickly got out two packs, each with about ten firecrackers and twenty sparklers.

"This is plenty!" Robbie said, looking over the packages and smiling, "and they look better than anything we could've bought at the store!" They were about to pay when Mikey stopped them.

"Wait, what about that one?" he asked. They looked up at what he was pointing at. In the back of the stand, there was a two foot by one foot firework rocket.

"Ah, you have a good eye, dude," said the eighth grader, getting the firework, "This, is the mega-rocket! It can create a whole fireworks finale in just one blast! Only available in Japan, but I just happen to have one of the few in America. The warning label alone makes it awesome."

"Whoa," all three kids said in awe. "How much is it?" Robbie asked.

"Two hundred, or one hundred and a traded in video game," the kid answered.

"Aw what!" Mikey shouted, "Dude, come on! Can't you make it any cheaper?"

"Hmm, alright," said the kid, "Since these two are new here, and it's the last day of school, I'll give you a discount. Eighty dollars and that's as low as I'll go."

"Fifteen!" Mikey shouted, "Plus, a candy bar." He quickly fished the melted Milky Way out of his pocket, and presented it. The kid laughed in his face. "Yeah right!" he said, "now, if you'll excuse me." He then went over to the other side of the stand to talk with a freckled face kid who was interested in the triple rocket fireworks.

"This is so unfair!" Mikey shouted.

"Calm down, Micheal," Maddie said, pulling out her money and setting her bag on the ground, "We'll still have firecrackers and sparklers. It's no big deal."

Mikey pouted while Maddie and Robbie waited for the kid to return so they could pay and head back to the park. As they waited, Maddie couldn't help but be curious about the baseball card stand while Robbie was looking at the stand selling comics.

"Are you gonna buy anything or not?" Maddie snapped out of her daze. "Oh, yeah," she said, "just these two packs." Maddie paid, and then handed the fireworks to Robbie. She could tell they were too big to fit in her bag. Wait... "Where's my bag?"

"Oh, I've got it," Mikey said, "I'll carry it." Maddie gave him a look. "What? I may not like you guys but I can be nice every once in a while. Now just let me carry your stupid bag and let's get out of here." With that, Mikey stomped off. So, with a shrug of their shoulders, they followed.

Quickly, they traveled through the maze of small stands and middle schoolers, and reached the pipe. The eighth grade girl gave them a wave. "Hope you have a nice day," she said.

"Thanks," Maddie and Robbie replied. They entered the pipe, and an alarm went off. The girl no longer looked friendly. "Please hand over all your items and step out of the pipe."

"There has to be a glitch or something," Robbie said, "We paid for this."

"Yeah," said Maddie, "We just have these things, and the receipt for them. So I assure you, I don't have anything hidden in my pockets or ba... Wait."

Mikey had just turned to run, but Maddie grabbed the back of his collar. She pulled him back, and zipped open her bag. Inside was the Mega-rocket!

"So, you think because you're new you can just steal here?" the leader of a tough group of eighth graders asked. They were all armed with guns filled with paint balls, golf balls, and 'liquids' (use your imagination for what liquids they were).

"Mikey!" Maddie and Robbie shouted.

"Um, uh, later losers!" Quickly, Mikey snatched the rocket and ran away.

"Mikey I swear," Maddie shouted, "When I get my hands on you I'm gonna...!"

"Fire!" Maddie and Robbie turned back around and ducked just in time. "Run," Robbie shouted. Quickly, they turned and ran as fast as they could. Now, a whole crowd of middle schoolers were chasing them.

But luckily, Maddie and Robbie were fast. They easily out ran the middle schoolers. Unfortunately, they were soon reaching a dead end. The iron doors were shut, and the eighth grader who had let them in was standing in front of the door. "I'm not letting two more get away!"

"Robbie!" Maddie shouted.

"I'm on it!" Instantly, Robbie picked up speed and lept up, over the kid and onto the main controls. He slammed down onto the red button, and the doors opened. Since he was distracted by Robbie, Maddie was easily able to slip past him.

"Nice job, dude!" Maddie complemented.

"Thanks," Robbie replied, "Now, if we can just get on your bike, we can easily... oof!" They both ran into a tall, tough figure and fell to the ground. Hesitantly, they looked up, thinking it was another eighth grader. But luckily, it was the one person that could help them.

"Skips!"

The yeti stood tall, with Mikey right next to him, his arm held in Skips' hand so he couldn't run away. The eighth graders ran over to them, and stopped. Skips took the mega-rocket out of Mikey's hands and held it up. "Is this what you want?" he asked in his raspy but strong voice.

"Yeah! Those little twerps stole it!" a kid yelled. Skips didn't say anything, he simply just crushed the rocket with one hand. The kids started to yell and get angry, but Skips silenced them with one glare. They didn't say a word.

"No, I suggest you all go home before I tell the police about this place," said Skips. The kids quickly obeyed and scattered.

"Thanks Skips," Maddie said, "We owe you one."

"It's a good thing you know everything, huh," said Robbie, "Uh, you're not going to tell our parents about this, are you?"

"Because technically, we weren't the ones who stole." Both of them gave Mikey a glare.

Skips was silent. "Nah, I won't tell. It's the first day of summer, so I'll let ya off this time. Just don't do it again, alright?"

"We won't," they both said. And with that, the four got into the golf cart Skips brought (Mikey's scooter and Maddie's bike were in the back) and drove back home.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

The summer party was a big success. There was plenty of great food to eat, and Benson brought out some old outdoor toys like jump ropes and frisbees out of the attic for the kids to play with, but even some of the adults enjoyed playing with them.

Finally, the sun was starting to set, and the stars were starting to appear. "So," said Margaret, "Where's this big surprise I've been hearing about?"

"Don't worry, Mom," said Maddie, "It'll be great!" The two friends quickly ran to get the firecrackers and sparklers, but were stopped by Skips.

"Don't bother," said Skips.

"Why not?" Skips gestured to a small pile a few yards away. It was hard to see in the dark, but the kids could still see what it was.

"Fireworks?" Robbie said, "Skips, how did you...?"

"Ya know, if you just told me you wanted fireworks for the party, I could've given ya some of mine," said Skips, with a small smile. The kids smiled back.

"Thanks Skips," Maddie said.

"Yeah, thanks." Skips just gave them a nod, and then skipped over to the fireworks pile. Within minutes, the sky above the park was filled with colorful explosions. Mordecai, Margaret, Rigby, Eileen, Benson, Pops, Muscleman, High Five Ghost, Starla and Mikey all stood together and watched.

As for Maddie and Robbie, they were up in an old oak tree so they could get the best view of the fireworks. Only the didn't have the best view. It was the perfect view.

"This is so cool," said Robbie.

"Yeah," said Maddie, "This was probably the best, last day of school ever."

As the two friends watched the giant fireworks display, they wondered, and silently hoped, that the rest of the summer would be as great as today.

Well, except for the whole 'running for their lives' thing.

What ever their summer was going to be, they knew one thing it wasn't going to be: Regular.

**Before anyone asks, no this isn't going to be like Phineas and Ferb. I'll have a good amount of summer chapters, but eventually they'll go back to school, and I'll have autumn, winter and spring in the story. **

**Anyway, I hope you liked this. Please review, and thanks for reading :) Have a nice day!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you all so much again for the reviews! You guys are so awesome! This chapter's a little different, for one thing, it won't be quite as crazy as last chapter, and it'll focus a little more on Mordecai and Rigby. The story chapters are kinda going to alternate between the usual Regular Show craziness, and then a more calmer tone, just to keep the story fresh. Alright, here's chapter 5! **

The bluejay felt the sun creep on to his face. Groaning a little, he turned away from the sun, but found another light to brighten him up. He smiled as he felt his wife's smooth, crimson feathers. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Even after all these years, she still looked stunning.

Margaret began to open her eyes as well, and smiled at her husband. "*Yawn*, Morning, hun," she said.

"Hey," Mordecai replied, moving closer. The two kissed, and then kissed again. "We should be, getting up," Margaret said in between kisses.

"Yeah, we could, or..." Mordecai said with a sly smile. He wrapped his wings around her waist. Margaret giggled, and they kissed again.

"Mordecai!" she said, trying to act annoyed but still smiling, "Come on, you goof." Reluctantly, Mordecai let his wife go, and they both got up. "Later, I promise."

"Alright," Mordecai replied. Five minutes later, both birds walked out of their room, Mordecai not wearing anything, and Margaret wearing a white top and an old pair of jeans.

They both looked into their daughter's room. She was sound asleep, snoring with blankets wrapped around her. "So, think she'll get up before noon?" Mordecai asked.

"Only if we make her get up earlier," Margaret replied. The two chuckled, and then headed towards the kitchen. Margaret placed four pieces of bread in the toaster while Mordecai headed for the coffee maker.

The small kitchen quickly filled with the aroma of perfectly cooked toast, as well as the sound of random boxes and cans being moved. "Aw," Mordecai said, "Where's the coffee?"

"You used the last of it yesterday, remember?" Margaret said.

"Well yeah, I remember, but I thought we had one more can," Mordecai said. Disappointed and feeling a little more tired, Mordecai got out a box of cereal and a gallon of milk. Margaret sat down across from him with her plate of toast.

"Hey Mordecai, I was thinking since I have the day off and you finished your comics for the week," said Margaret, "Maybe we could all go do something as a family, like go to the movies or bowling."

"Bowling sounds good," Mordecai replied, "It's been a while since the last time we've gone." With baseball practices, Mordecai's random painting assignments, and Margaret's job, the Quintel family rarely had time to spend together for more than a couple hours. But it was summer. Practices didn't start until autumn, work was light, and (being the beginning of summer) the weather was nice. Perfect for family outings.

After half an hour, they heard small footsteps walk down the hall. "Hey Mom, hey Dad," said Maddie, her feathers a mess and her eyes only half open.

"Well hello there, sleeping beauty," her mother joked.

"Hey, it's summer, and it's Sunday, so I've got two excuses to sleep in," Maddie said.

"She's got a point," Mordecai added. Margaret just shook her head. "Your toast is on the counter, sweetie," Margaret said. Since her daughter didn't care whether or not the toast was hot or cold, Margaret always just made it when she made her own.

"Thanks Mom." Maddie grabbed her toast, put a couple dollops of peanut butter on each slice, and sat down at the table. "So, what were you guys talking about?"

"How would you like it if all three of us went bowling tonight?" Margaret asked.

"That sounds great," Maddie said, smiling. Just then, she heard a noise come from beside her. Maddie looked over, and saw her father asleep, his head only a couple inches away from the bowl.

"Isn't he usually a little more awake?" Maddie asked.

"He didn't have his morning coffee," Margaret explained.

"Ah, that makes sense," Maddie said. She then turned back to her father. "Dad," she said, gently shaking him. Mordecai jumped, and his eyes were now wide open. "Huh? What? What happened?"

"You almost drowned in your cereal," Maddie said nonchalantly, turning back to her toast.

"If you need your coffee that badly, why don't you go down to the coffee shop," Margaret said, "and hey, maybe you can invite Rigby to come along."

Mordecai thought about it. It had been a while since the two had had 'joe with bro' time. And besides, Mordecai desperately needed his coffee. "Yeah, alright."

"Can I come with you guys?" Maddie asked, "I want to see if this place is as awesome as you guys said it was."

Margaret looked at Mordecai. "You thought the coffee shop was awesome?" she asked with a small smirk.

"Well, maybe just the 'seeing-you' part, and the coffee part, and the Broken Bones game," explained Mordecai. He then turned to Maddie, "Go get dressed, and I'll call Rigby."

"Okay!" Maddie quickly ran to her room, abandoning her toast. Mordecai walked over to the kitchen counter where his cell phone was charging. He opened it and pressed '2' on his speed dial.

A few minutes later, Maddie came back into the kitchen. Her feathers were combed and cleaned, and her teeth were brushed. She was wearing a light pink tee shirt, a red baseball cap, and a white skirt.

"I told you that would look cute on you, Maddie," Margaret said, smiling at her daughter who clearly didn't share the same feelings.

"I'm only wearing this because the only things I had left in my closet are sweaters and jeans, and it's too hot for those," explained Maddie. While Margaret would let Maddie choose her clothes (which were usually tees, jerseys and shorts), she still picked out more girly things for her daughter. But those outfits usually stayed in the back of her closet until she got older and had an excuse to give them away.

"Well, you two have fun," said Margaret, hugging her daughter and then her husband, "Maddie, try not to walk to far ahead of your dad, 'kay?"

"I'll try," replied Maddie. The two birds said their goodbyes and then walked out the door.

The coffee shop was only a couple blocks away, and since the sun wasn't too high, it wasn't that hot outside. There was even a gentle breeze. The fresh air giving her a boost of energy, Maddie began to walk a little faster, almost running.

"Hey, slow down Maddie!" Mordecai shouted from behind her, "You're not running to home base, we're just going to the coffee shop."

Maddie rolled her eyes a little. "Dad, I'm not even going that fast. At this speed, anyone could keep up with me."

"Are you trying to say I'm slow?" Mordecai asked, trying to act insulted. Maddie just tried to look innocent. "Maybe," she replied with a smile.

"Well," Mordecai said, walking towards the young bird, "I'll admit, maybe I can't run as fast as I used to. But, I'm fast enough to do... this!" With swift speed, he scooped up his daughter up and began tickling her. She squealed with laughter.

"Dad!" she screamed while trying to hold in her giggles, "S-stop! Let go of me! Daddy!" Maddie finally pushed her father away and escaped. The two laughed, and then continued to walk to the coffee shop. Maddie decided to hold her dad's hand as they walked, not because she really needed to, but because she wanted to stay by him.

When they finally arrived at the coffee shop, Rigby and Robbie were already there. Since Maddie was coming along, Mordecai told Rigby on the phone that he could bring Robbie along.

"Nice skirt," the younger raccoon said with a smirk.

"Shut up."

The four friends walked down the stairs and through the doorway. As soon as he entered, Robbie wrinkled up his nose. He was used to smelling his parents' morning coffees, but this smell was that times ten! It was almost smothering to Robbie's sensitive nose.

"You okay, dude?" Rigby asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine Dad," Robbie replied, "I'll get used to it." They all picked out a table, and a waitress quickly walked over to them.

"Can I get you all anything?" she asked, notepad and pencil ready.

"Two coffees, black with two sugars," Rigby ordered, "and then what ever these two want." He gestured to the two kids.

"Waters fine for me," Maddie said.

"OJ for me," said Robbie. The waitress wrote down the order, thanked them, and then walked away. "So Dad, where's that game you said you were awesome at?"

"Yeah, Broken Arms or something," said Maddie.

"It's called Broken Bones," Rigby corrected, "And it's right over..." The two dads looked around, but no Broken Bones machine in site. In fact, there weren't any video games there!

"Aw dude! They got rid of it!" Rigby shouted, now pissed off.

"What! Aw, you've gotta be kidding me!" Mordecai replied, "Why would they get rid of it?"

"I don't know, maybe because they hate themselves or something," Rigby answered, now pouting a little.

"This game must've been pretty fun if you guys are so mad about it being gone," Maddie commented.

"Yeah, it was pretty fun," replied Mordecai. He thought for a moment, and then gave a small smile. "I bet GBF wouldn't be too happy about this." Rigby chuckled a little.

The two kids looked at their fathers, confused by the inside joke. "Who's GBF?" Robbie asked.

"Just some giant beardo face," Rigby replied, "He was the champion of the universe at the Broken Bones, that is until we beat him and became the champs! Ohhh!"

"Really?" Robbie asked, his tail twitching in curiousity and excitement.

"Wait, how did you guys become universal champions? Don't you have to play a video game like twenty four-seven to do that?" Maddie asked.

"Actually, it only took us a few hours," Mordecai replied, "You see, it all started when two kids knocked us down with their skateboards. No respect at all! And they weren't the only ones, back when we worked for Benson, he would give us hardly any respect at all!"

"But we were going to fix that," said Rigby, "There are only three ways to get respect: Be cool, be good at something, or buy the respect. We were already pretty cool, but I guess that wasn't enough, so we decided to get good at the Broken Bones game, and get the respect we deserved!"

"So, we played together, me on the joystick and Rigby on the buttons," continued Mordecai, "and anyone who challenged us, we would accept and then beat them! Finally, we had a rematch with those two kids, and this time, we won! In fact, after we won the game, we got our names at the top of the high score list! We were officially the champs!"

"But what about GBF?" Maddie asked.

"We're getting to that, we're getting to that," replied Mordecai.

"So anyway, there we were celebrating, when suddenly a giant beam of bright light shoots through the ceiling, and out of the light came a giant bearded face!"

"He said that he was the universal champion, so we challenged him to one final game of Broken Bones," Mordecai said, "Winner would get the title, and _all _the respect."

"How long was the game?" Robbie asked.

"I don't know how long we were playing, but we got to like level 200 or something," answered Rigby, "For most of the game, it was neck and neck, but towards the end, me and Mordecai were getting close to the high score. Too bad the guy was a total di..." The older raccoon then remembered who he was telling the story to. "Jerk, because he tried cheating so he could win."

"First, he made up this sob story about how all he had was the universal record and how his wife left him and stuff like that," Mordecai explained, "But when we found out he was lying, he tried pulling us away from the game so we could lose!"

"But we wouldn't let him, and then at the last second, bam! We reached the high score!" At this point, Rigby was so excited, he was standing on his chair. "We were the new universal champions baby!" Rigby then sat down. "And then he blew up," he said nonchalantly.

The kids blinked. "He, blew up?" Maddie repeated.

"Why?" Robbie asked.

Mordecai and Rigby looked at each other. "We're not really sure," Mordecai said, "But, at least we got the respect."

"That was a really cool story," Maddie said, smiling, "Maybe we can try to find an online version of Broken Bones. Then me and Robbie can challenge you guys to a game."

"All right, challenge accepted," Rigby said, smiling. The kids smiled back. While they didn't have as much experience as their dads, Maddie and Robbie were good at video games. Even though a date hadn't been set up yet, they were already looking forward to it.

"Here you go," said the waitress, returning to the table, "Two coffees, a water and an OJ." They all thanked her, and Mordecai and Rigby paid for the drinks.

"Why do you drink that anyway?" Robbie asked. From what he had read, it was just ground up coffee beans with water and a little sugar or cream.

"Because it helps us stay awake so we can work," Rigby said (though he didn't have much room to talk since he only worked a couple days a week as a garbage man), "and it tastes good."

"It sure doesn't smell good," Robbie commented.

"Can we try some?" Maddie asked.

"Eh, I guess it couldn't hurt, but just a sip," Mordecai said, putting his mug in front of his daughter while Rigby slid his mug over to Robbie, "And be careful, it's kinda hot."

Both kids slowly lifted the mugs to their mouths, took a sip... and spat it out disgust. Mordecai and Rigby couldn't help but laugh.

"Gross! Blech!" Maddie grimaced.

"It tastes like the time Pops accidentally burnt Thanksgiving dinner!" Robbie said, before chugging his orange juice to get rid of the taste.

"I guess it is kinda a taste you have to get used to," Mordecai said.

"And you guys drink that everyday?" Maddie asked, "You are so weird."

"Yeah well, says you!" Rigby replied, but the kids just giggled at him. After everyone finished their drinks, and the weather was still nice, they decided to go for a walk around downtown. There were small stands already set up, selling foods like hot dogs or drinks like lemonade. A couple stands sold balloons or tourist trap items like magnets and small knick knacks.

Robbie and Maddie stopped walking when they arrived at an old alley, now a small community playground. But the playground wasn't what made them stop. It was what a man was selling across the street that caught their eye.

"Hey Dad," said Robbie, "Can I please borrow five dollars?"

"Sure," said Rigby, handing him a folded up, wrinkled five dollar bill. "Thanks!" Robbie said smiling.

"We'll be right back!" Maddie shouted over her shoulder as the two friends ran across the street.

"Dude, you just give your kid money without asking what he's buying?" Mordecai asked.

"Dude, he's only ten, he's probably buying food or something," Rigby replying, still thinking it was no big deal.

"Rigby, remember the crap we bought when we were ten?"

"Look, there's no comic books with stupid fake ads here, so just relax dude!" Rigby said, ending the subject. The two decided to take a break and sit down on the playground bench.

They were silent for a few moments before Mordecai began talking again. "That story really brought back some memories," said Mordecai.

"Yeah dude, good times," Rigby said with a smile. It was only like twelve years ago, but it still felt like a lifetime ago. Rigby stayed quiet, but the taller bluejay could tell something was on his mind. "Do you ever miss it?"

"You mean like, working at the park, or almost getting killed every other week?" Mordecai asked with a smirk.

"You know what I mean," Rigby replied, giving him a punch in the arm.

"Well, I guess I do miss it sometimes," Mordecai said, "I'd never thought I'd miss working at the park, or fighting for my life, or Benson getting pissed at us. But even with all that, we had some pretty fun times. We did things that regular people probably would never do. And I have to say dude, it's pretty cool to say that."

"Yeah," Rigby replied simply, "It is pretty cool. Do you, I mean, would you ever want to go back to that, if you could?"

Mordecai thought about this. "Yeah," he replied finally, "But only for a day or something. A week, tops. I mean, don't get me wrong, those were pretty cool times, but I like my life where it is."

And that was the honest truth. He loved going to bed and waking up next to the girl he never though he would ever date let alone marry. He loved having such a relaxing job that could let him be creative. He loved the fact that he did have a good life and he didn't end up a loser like other people had said he would. But most of all, and perhaps the most surprising, he enjoyed having a kid.

Maddie was a perfect blend of both Mordecai and Margaret's personalities. She had Margaret's sense of humor, kindness, and her natural aura that instantly made people like her. On the other side, she had Mordecai's sense of having fun, his leadership skills, and (on somedays) his laziness. He loved having someone who was a mix of himself and the one he loved. Someone he could teach, have fun with, and eventually, when the time was right, let go.

Mordecai mentally slapped himself and chuckled. 'Rigby's right, I am going a little soft', he thought. But he knew it was the truth.

"Yeah, same here," said Rigby, feeling the same way his friend did. Unfortunately, their thoughts were interrupted by a cold blast of water. Both guys let out a surprised shreik, and heard a group of giggles.

"Gotcha!" Maddie shouted.

"You should've seen your faces!" Robbie laughed.

'Yeah, he was just buying food, right,' Mordecai thought. His feathers were soaked, but he couldn't help but smile. "You guys better start running!" he shouted.

"Yeah, because you're so gonna get it!" Rigby shouted, already on all fours to begin the chase. The two kids let out a scream and began running towards the playground. They laughed as their fathers chased them around, until finally they got tired and surrendered.

It was almost ten thirty, so they decided to go their seperate ways and go back home. The rest of the day went smoothly. After lunch, Margaret and Maddie watched a couple tv shows together while Mordecai worked on his latest art project. A few hours later, the family of three went out to eat for supper and they headed to the bowling alley.

Mordecai got a 258, Margaret a 197, and Maddie a final score of 134. But despite her score being the lowest, she got two strikes in the final frame while her father didn't even get a spare, so she still felt like she had won in the end.

When they got home, Maddie got into her pajamas and, as requested, Mordecai tucked her in. "Night, Maddie," he said, gently ruffling the feathers on top of her head.

"Night Dad," Maddie replied, "Love ya." Mordecai smiled. "Love you too," he said, giving her one last look before turning off the lights.

The happy but tired bluejay walked into his bedroom, where his wife was already in bed, doing something on her cell phone. But as soon as she saw him, Margaret smiled and placed her phone on the small table next to the bed.

Before the cardinal even had a chance to speak, Mordecai pressed his lips against hers, and she gladly kissed back. When the kiss finally broke, the two birds smiled at each other.

Yep, this was definitely the good life.

"So," Mordecai said, getting a mischievous look in his eyes, "Where were we?"

**I really wanted to write a chapter focused on Mordecai and Rigby just because I wanted to do another one from their view and because they're so much fun to write. I'll probably write a couple chapters focused on Margaret and Eileen (as soon as I get good at writing their characters. They're like the hardest RS characters for me to write), and Benson and the rest of the park people. But most of the chapters will be focused on one or both of the kids. **

**Sorry it took forever to get this out. I was midway through it when I got writers' block :P I have a couple more ideas for the next few chapters, but it may take a little longer to get out since finals are coming up. Anyway, please review and leave positive critisism, every little tip helps!**

**See you next time! :)**


	6. Chapter 6

The nighttime sky held a certain calmness. Most of the lights in the town were turned off, and every creature was asleep, including a little raccoon cub. Robbie was peacefully sleeping in his bed. He had gone to bed three hours earlier along with his parents. But just like his father, Robbie was a bit of a light sleeper.

*Clink!* Robbie twitched in his sleep. He could hear something going on outside his room. After another loud noise, Robbie opened his eyes wide. At first, he thought he had gone blind. 'Why is it so dark?' he thought, holding on to his blanket tightly. But then his sense of reason kicked in. 'It must've gone out.'

The raccoon was tempted to get out of bed to wake up his parents, but he stopped himself. 'You're ten, stop acting like a baby,' he scolded himself. One night of darkness wouldn't hurt him. Slowly, he laid back down in bed, to try and get some sleep.

*Crash!* There was a noise outside Robbie's window. Robbie sat straight up. Now he remembered why he was so afraid of the dark. His eyes weren't as good as his parents yet, so he didn't have any night vision. He couldn't tell who or what was in his room or outside. It felt like he was in an infinite, dark space. All alone. Except for what ever was lurking in the shadows.

Without another thought, Robbie jumped out of bed and ran on all fours towards the door. He stumbled once or twice over an action figure or book carelessly left on the floor, but he eventually made it to the door. He put his paws on the cool metal, and desperately tried turning it. But to no avail. He began pulling on the door, and shouting. "Let me out! Let me out!"

Suddenly, a flood of light entered his room, and Robbie was pulled forward and crashed on the floor. In front of him, he saw a pair of brown, furry feet. "Robbie?"

Robbie looked up, and saw his father, his hair a mess and a sandwich on a plate in his hand. "You okay? I heard you yelling," Rigby asked, concerned.

"Um, I'm fine," Robbie said, looking away, "I guess I just, freaked out a little. I, heard noises. Outside my room and outside my window."

"Well, the thing outside your window was probably just like a trashcan or something. It's pretty windy out there," said Rigby. Now that Robbie could actually think about it, the noise did sound like metal hitting ground. "As for the other noise, that was probably me. I needed a little midnight snack, know what I'm sayin'?"

"Yeah," Robbie replied. He remained sitting on the floor.

"Robbie, um, do you need something?" Rigby asked awkwardly.

"O-Oh! No, I'm fine Dad." Robbie quickly walked across the small bedroom and climbed into bed. As Rigby watched him, he noticed something.

"Hey, your nightlight is out," Rigby commented, "Do you want me to get another lightbulb? I think we have like one more."

Robbie didn't answer. After a few minutes, he replied with "I don't know." Rigby could see him scowling, his tail flickering in frusteration. Robbie would've felt more comfortable and he probably would have an easier time falling asleep if he had his nightlight, but at the same time, he felt like a baby having one. He hated being afraid of the dark!

"It's no big deal, you know." Robbie looked up. His father was now over by his bed. "If you want a nightlight, it's fine. You know, I was kinda afraid of the dark too when I was a kid." Robbie was shocked. While he didn't brag as much as Muscleman, Robbie had always heard Rigby call himself awesome or cool. He never said that he was afraid or worried about something.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'm still kinda freaked out by it if I'm by myself and there's like a huge storm outside," Rigby said, "But who cares. Everyone's afraid of something. Your mom doesn't like cockroaches (That especially surprised Robbie since they were a family that went camping often and his mom was always comfortable around things like snakes and other forest creatures), Mordecai gets freaked out by cats, and Benson, man, if you even say unicorns are near he runs away!"

Robbie giggled a little at that. "Anyway, you'll probably stop being afraid of the dark when you get older, but even if you don't, it's no big deal." Rigby gave him a smile. "Okay?"

Robbie smiled back. "Yeah, okay. Thanks Dad." Rigby gave him a one armed hug, and then said goodnight. Rigby had offered to replace the lightbulb, but Robbie refused. He said he would be alright. But while he did feel a little better, the young raccoon still had trouble sleeping.

()()()()()()()()

"Okay, I place ChooChoo in attack mode!" Maddie placed a card with a picture of a train with a monstrous face on the table. The two friends were at the park house since everyone had to work, and after the last time the two kids were left alone, all four parents decided it would be for the best if they had Benson watch the kids for the morning. "Okay, your turn."

Robbie didn't do anything. He was fast asleep. "Hey!" Robbie woke up with a jump. "You know, I know this game isn't as fun as the tv show, but you could at least stay awake until we finish the game."

"Sorry," Robbie appologized as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I didn't sleep well last night."

"Why? Did your light go out or something?" Maddie was the only kid who knew of Robbie's secret fear.

"Yeah," Robbie replied, scowling, "I know my dad said it wasn't a big deal to be afraid of something, but still, I hate being afraid!"

"Hmm, maybe I can help you," Maddie offered.

"What can you do?"

"Oh, I can think of a few things," Maddie said, with a slightly evil vibe. Robbie glared at her. "Oh I'm just kidding. I know how much you hate the dark, but that's why I want to help you dude. I mean, things are fine now, but what if you're somewhere and the power goes off? Or what if you get invited to a slumber party? How would you explain the nightlight?" Robbie looked away. "I know it doesn't exactly sound like the funnest thing to do, but hey, you said it yourself that you hate being afraid."

"Why are we only talking about me?" Robbie retorted, "what about your fear of singing in front of people?"

"I'm not afraid of singing in front of people!"

"Then how come you're not in chorus or in any of the school talent shows?"

"Because the choir songs aren't my style of music and we both know the school talent show is lame!"

"Excuses and denial," Robbie said with a smirk.

Maddie growled. "Fine! How about this, if I help you get rid of your fear, then you can help me with my fear, which I don't have."

"Alright, fair enough," Robbie agreed. He then realized what he had just agreed to. "So, how were you planning on getting rid of my fear?"

"I think I have the perfect way," Maddie said with a 'no-longer-evil' smile.

After grabbing a flashlight and getting permission from Benson, Maddie and Robbie were now standing in the doorway of the basement. "This is stupid," Robbie mumbled.

"Sometimes the only way to face your fear, is to face it head on," Maddie said.

"I hate you."

"No you don't." The kids were about to start walking down the steps when they heard Benson. "Hey, don't spend too much time down there! And make sure you keep a light on!"

"We will!" Maddie shouted. "At least until we're at the bottom of the steps." The two slowly stepped onto the first wooden step. It creaked under their weight, but stayed stable. They continued walking down each step until they were on the old wooden floor. "Ready?" the purple bird asked.

"No," Robbie replied, glaring at her.

"I'll take that as a yes." Maddie said. She pressed the button on the flashlight, and the light turned off. They were now in pitch darkness. Both were silent.

"Maddie?" Robbie asked, his voice making him sound much younger than he was.

"I'm still here," Maddie replied, "Are you ready to start walking around?"

"Uh, sure." Robbie was tempted to ask to hold Maddie's hand just so he knew someone was there, but he held back. Instead the two took a small step forward. "Did you take a step forward?" he asked.

"Yep, did you?"

"Yep."

"Good, just keep taking small steps. I'm right here." If it was someone like Mikey, Robbie would've suspected that they would try to run back up the stairs or stay silent just to freak him out. But he trusted Maddie completely. If she said she was staying by him, she was staying.

After a few minutes, Robbie heard a small noise. But to his sensitive hears, it was definitely noticable. "Did you hear that?" Robbie asked.

"Heard what?" Maddie's voice said (the basement still hadn't gotten any brighter, the only clue that Maddie was still next to him was how loud her voice was).

"I don't know, like a growl or something."

"Probably just your stomach, lunch is in like half an hour or something. Just keep walking, you're fine." Robbie continued walking, but after only a couple small steps, he heard a creak. "What about that! Did you hear that?"

"This basement's old. Old places creak. Stop being so paranoid, we're not going back up until you're completely comfortable in the dark." The creaks got louder. Robbie, now officially freaked out, took a couple steps backwards, and felt the wood in front of him collapse. He also heard something else. A scream.

"Maddie!" The scream only lasted for a second or two, and ended with a thud. "Maddie! Say something!"

"...Ow." Robbie let out the breath he was holding. It sounded like Maddie was underneith him. "The floor collapsed, but I'm okay. It wasn't that long of a fall." He heard her feet hit the floor a couple times. "Apparently it was a long enough fall that I can't jump back up. Hold on, I'm going to try to find something I can use to get me out."

Robbie listened to her footsteps. Strangely, he could hear them better when she was underneith him rather than next to him. He read somewhere that basements were built on top of concrete. Maybe that was the concrete floor.

Just then, Robbie heard another shriek. "Maddie! What's wrong?"

"A spider landed on my wing!" Robbie snickered a little. "Oh shut u- ew! I think I walked into it's web. It's so sticky... and big, like a net." He could hear her struggling. "I can't get the stupid thing off!"

Robbie was about to ask if he should go get someone when, a noise sent chills down his spine. A low, hungry growl. "W-What was that?" Robbie asked.

"I-I don't know, but it sounds pretty freaking close!" Maddie tried pulling off the webs again, but they stayed tangled around her body. "Robbie! Go get Skips! Now!"

Robbie stood up and was about to start running towards the door when he remembered something. Skips wasn't in the house, he had been assigned to litter duty. Who knows where he was? By the time he found the yeti, Maddie could be... he didn't want to think about it. And Robbie doubted Pops or Benson could do much about this.

So, there was only one option. And while it wasn't exactly the most appealing thing to do, or the safest. But Robbie didn't have much of a choice. So, he took a deep breath, and jumped through the hole in the floor.

Like a cat, Robbie landed safely on his feet. "Maddie!"

"Robbie! What the heck are you doing down here?"

"I'm here to help you!" Robbie replied. He took a step forward, but froze before he could take another.

_Well, what a brave little hero. Let's see if you can handle my little friends. _Robbie heard footsteps coming towards him. He wanted to scream, but he knew no one would hear him. So, he had to stand his ground. If he was going to get killed, he wasn't going to die crying like a little kid. So, he raised his arm, and prepared himself.

His ear twitched, and he knew one of them was right next to him. Luckily, Robbie didn't inherit Rigby's strength. He pulled his arm back, and punched hard. He heard the small monster shreik, and he then felt a wave of cold air brush by him.

More growls were heard. But as each tried to sneak up on the young raccoon, he heard them, and made them dissappear. Finally, all the monsters were gone.

"Hm hm," Robbie said with a smile, "So much for your friends."

_Oh, I have plently more where that came from. _A puff of smoke, and Robbie could hear not just a few monsters, or even a dozen monsters. It sounded like there was a whole crowd in front of him. Even if he could destroy them with one hit, Robbie knew he was outnumbered probably a hundred to one.

He took a couple steps back, and nearly tripped on something plastic. And round, and had something rattling inside it, like batteries. Maddie's flashlight! Quickly, Robbie picked it up, pressed the button, and held it in front of him.

The basement's darkness drowned and disappeared, leaving only light behind. The army screamed in terror, and quickly ran for shelter in the shadows. _Don't run away you babies! Fight him!_

Robbie just simply smiled. "Awesome job Robbie!" Robbie heard from behind him. He turned around and flashed the light in the direction of the voice. He saw Maddie, squinting from the bright light and wrapped in spider webs. But after being exposed to the light for a few moments, the spider webs dissolved. Smiling, Maddie stood up and ran towards Robbie.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, now let's get the heck out of here!" Maddie shouted.

_Oh, you think I'll let you go that easily? _Two harry paws grabbed each of their legs and pulled Maddie and Robbie towards the edge of the hidden floor, into the pitch black darkness. The flashlight had turned off, and slipped out of Robbie's hand. "No!" he shouted.

The monster stopped pulling. Robbie could tell they were right in front of it. It's fur smelt like sour milk, it's breath smelled like mold, and (compared to Robbie smooth, clean fur) the fur on it's arms and paws felt rough and clumped together. Both kids tried to escape, by hitting, clawing and even biting or pecking at the arms of the beast. But nothing made it loosen it's grip.

_There's no escape now, my little meals. _The monster started dragging Robbie again. As he was being lifted, Robbie felt his hand brush past something. The flashlight! Clawing desperately at the ground, Robbie managed to keep himself on the ground. 'Where is it?' he thought, feeling around on the cold, concrete floor. Finally, his hands found what he was looking for. He grabbed it, held onto it tight, and turned it on.

_Noooo! _Now in the light, Maddie and Robbie could see that the beast was like a giant hairball with several thin limbs. It also had sharp teeth, was at least twenty feet tall (how did the basement get so big all of a sudden?), and had multiple yellow animal-like eyes, all instantly blinded by the light of the flashlight.

Robbie showed no mercy. As the beast loosened it's grip, Robbie walked closer to the creature. The light was like torture! _I can't take it anymore! _With one final yell, the monster disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. The basement was silent, only to be filled with the sounds of the two friends cheering a few seconds later.

"Nice job, Robbie," Maddie complimented, picking herself off the floor, "That was pretty cool."

"Thanks," Robbie said with a smile. They walked back to the hole above them, and discovered that if they worked together, they could easily climb out. So they did. Once they were out, they heard the door open and saw a bright light above them.

"Maddie, Robbie, are you two alright?" Pops asked, "I thought I heard yelling."

"We're fine," Both kids said in unison.

"Oh, that's good! Lunch is ready, if you two are done playing you are welcome to join Benson and I! I made the macarroni and cheese!" The kids just giggled along with Pops. Once the lolliman left, the kids looked at each other.

"I don't think I need this anymore," Robbie said, holding up the flashlight, "Or a nightlight."

"I don't think you need it either," Maddie repled, still smiling.

"Thanks Maddie."

"No problem, now let's go get some lunch. I'm starving."

"Same here." The two quickly ran up the steps and into the bright house. As they started eating their lunch (which were sandwiches with mac 'n' cheese and homemade pie), Robbie looked over at Maddie.

"You know what this means, since I'm not afraid of the dark anymore," Robbie started to say, "I get to help you get over your stage fright."

Maddie groaned. "I was hoping you would forget about that."

"Nope," Robbie said, "And I won't forget it. You know what they say, if you want to get rid of your fear, face it head on."

"I'm about two seconds away from hitting you."

"I don't know why you so freaked out by singing in front of a bunch of people," commented Robbie, "I mean, it's not like you suck at it. I've heard you sing along to the radio or just randomly sing when you're bored. You're pretty good at it."

Maddie stopped eating, and blushed slightly. She then hit Robbie's arm. "Ow! What was that for?"

"It's been two seconds," Maddie said with a smile. Robbie hit back, and they glared at each other, but then laughed it off and went back to their lunch. Yes, it was just another good day, even if it had been a little more dangerous than usual.

**Hope you all liked this. I'm planning on writing one more today, I just have to get my homework done first. A small preview of the next chapter: It involves lemonade, and it guest stars a certain raccoon that we haven't seen since chapter 1. Anyway, I'll see you in the next chapter! Please review :)**


	7. Chapter 7

It was another summer day. Maddie was sitting upside down on the Salyers' old tan couch, and Robbie was laying on the floor. Both kids were bored out of their minds.

"What's wrong guys?" Margaret asked. She was over visiting Eileen, and had brought Maddie over so she could have fun with Robbie, but if anything, the bird looked more bored there than at her own house.

"Yeah, just a few days ago you two were so excited," Eileen added, "What happened?"

"We were so excited because the newest 'Adventurer's Journey' game was coming out," Robbie said, "This one with time travel adventures and space travel adventures. It looked so cool!"

"Yeah, that is until we found out how much it costed," Maddie said, "Even if we combine all our birthday and allowence money, we're still twenty six dollars short."

"Not including tax," Robbie added.

"But, that doesn't explain why you're bored," Margaret commented.

"We're bored because we were planning on buying the game and playing it all week," said Maddie, "But now we can't."

"And compared to the game, everything else is boring," said Robbie.

The two mothers couldn't help but smile and roll their eyes. Their children could act just like their fathers sometimes.

"Why don't you just get a job," suggested Rigby, who had just found the cookie jar and was getting out a handful of sugar cookies, "That's what Mordecai and me had to do when we wanted a new game or concert tickets or whatever. We even had to work overtime!"

"Dad, we're only ten," said Robbie, sitting up, "No one's going to hire a couple of ten year olds. I don't even think Pops would."

"Well, then I'm out of ideas," said Rigby, turning back to the cookie jar. Just then, everyone heard a knock at the door.

"Oh no, was Don coming over today? I guess I forgot," said Eileen. She then heard her husband and son groan. Even though they had a slightly better relationship, Rigby still liked his space. He had plans the rest of the day, and now Don would probably want to tag along. 'I guess as long as he doesn't try to hug me every five minutes,' Rigby thought as Eileen went to go open the door.

"Why did you groan?" Maddie asked Robbie, flipping herself rightside up again, "I thought you liked your uncle Don."

"I do," Robbie replied, "It's just, he can just be suffocating sometimes. He's so cheery all the time, it's just a little weird."

"Pops is cheery all the time too," Maddie reminded him.

"Yeah, but Pops isn't related to me. It's hard to believe that someone like that is my uncle."

"You and me both, kid!" Rigby shouted from the kitchen.

"That, and there's all the 'sugar'," said Robbie.

"I like your uncle Don's hugs," Maddie said smiling, "They're really nice, it's like wrapping yourself in a sugary sweater."

"Then you can have my share of hugs."

Eileen opened the door, and looked up at the tall, smiling raccoon. "There's my favorite sister-in-law!" Don said cheerfully.

"Hey Don, it's nice to see you again," said Eileen, smiling back.

"Same here Ellie, now come over here and give me some sugar!" Don opened his arms, and Eileen walked into the hug.

At that moment, Rigby, with cookies stuffed in his mouth, saw the hug. He swallowed and glared at his brother, his tail swishing back in forth in jealousy. Even after more than ten years of marriage, Rigby still didn't like seeing his brother hug Eileen, as if he was going to steal her.

Fortunately, Don noticed this and ended the hug. He then took a step forward into the house. "Hey Rigbone, sugar?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Rigby replied. Don ignored the snide comment, and simply opened his arms. Rigby rolled his eyes, and hugged his brother. As they hugged, Rigby tried his best to hide the small smile on his face.

"Margaret, how ya doin'?" Don said, hugging the scarlet bird next, "How are you and Mordo doing?"

"Oh, we're fine," Margaret replied with a smile, "It's nice to see you again, Don."

Once the hug ended, Don turned to the couch where the two kids were. "Oh wow, Madeline, is that you?" Don asked, "You're turning into quite the beauty queen."

Despite the fact that being crowned a beauty queen was on her list of 'Top five things I never want to happen to me', Maddie couldn't help but smile at the older raccoon. He was so nice and charming, it was impossible to be offended by him no matter what he said.

"Thanks Don," Maddie replied, hugging him. Finally, Don turned to Robbie.

"Hey little nephew," Don said happily, "How about you give your uncle some sugar?"

"Um, no, that's okay Don, thanks," replied Robbie.

"Robbie, go on and hug him," Eileen told him.

"If I had to give him sugar, you have to give him some too," added Rigby. Reluctantly, Robbie got off the couch, and hugged his uncle.

Once all the greetings and hugs were out of the way, Don sat at the table with the others, and Robbie and Maddie went back to being bored.

"What's wrong with them?" Don asked, concerned.

"They don't have enough money to buy the game they want," explained Eileen.

"Oh, well that's too bad," said Don. The taller raccoon then smiled. "Ha, I remember when Rigbone and I were little, we wanted to by these robot toys, and we each made our own lemonade stand. Remember, bro?"

"Yeah, and everyone went to your stand instead of mine!" Rigby said, scowling at the memory.

"I don't know why, your lemonade was pretty good, just a little sour," commented Don.

"So, you're saying we should open a lemonade stand so we could get the money?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah, why not?" Don replied.

"Seems kinda old fashioned," said Maddie, "but it is hot outside, a perfect day to sell something to help people cool off."

"And I'm sure Pops and Benson won't care if we set up a stand outside the snack bar," Robbie added.

"It could actually work," Maddie said, smiling. The two kids started planning while the adults simply smiled.

"Well, you got rid of their boredom," said Margaret to Don.

()()()()()()()()()

The kids got all the lemonade mix from their houses, as well as from the snack bar, which is where they set up their stand (a folding table) just as they had planned. They had plastic cups, water, a bag of sugar, and a sign that read 'Lemonade, 50 cents a glass or three for a dollar!'.

"Alright, we just need to sell 54 glasses," said Robbie, typing the numbers in the calculator in his phone.

"Piece of cake," said Maddie. The two sat, and waited for a customer. They waited, and waited, and waited. After half an hour, only a dozen people had passed the stand, and the only person who had talked to them was Mikey.

"Ha! You guys are selling lemonade? What, are you guys living in the sixties or something? What losers!" Mikey laughed.

"If you're not going to buy a glass then get the heck out of here!" Maddie shouted.

"Like I would buy that gross stuff," Mikey said. And with that, he drove away on his scooter.

"This sucks," Maddie said, resting her head on her wing.

"I don't get it, why aren't people buying?" Robbie asked, "Do we look to desperate or something?"

"No, I think it's because they know we're just kids," said Maddie, "so we either made pre-made lemonade, or crappy homemade lemonade."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Robbie asked.

"Well first, we need to improve our product," said Maddie, thinking like a true business woman, "and then we need to just get a couple people to drink it. If they really like it, they'll tell others and then we'll have plenty of customers!"

"Well then, what are we just sitting here for?" Robbie asked, "lets go get some lemons!" The two stood up, and began running towards the nearest tree. They both knew that there were tons of lemon trees in the park.

Unfortunately, Pops had done a little gardening the day before. Every lemon tree had been picked, leaving only leaves and branches.

"Of all the days for Pops to pick lemons," said Robbie, "I didn't even know he picked lemons!"

"There's gotta be a lemon tree with lemons still on it somewhere in this park, now come on," said Maddie.

The two friends continued walking. They walked across the bridge, passed the playground, the river and the rock garden, but still no lemons.

But at last, one was spotted. "Look!" Robbie shouted, "One with lemons on it!" He pointed right at...

"The old graveyard?" Maddie said. She sighed. "Of course it's in there." Opening the rusted old gates, the two kids walked into the graveyard, careful not to knock over any tombstones.

The lemon tree was in the middle of the graveyard. It stood tall over the many gravesites, it's branches stretched out, each with an abundance of bright yellow lemons.

"Let's get picking," said Maddie. But as soon as they stepped forward, a voice rang out. "Who dares to try and harvest my lemons!"

They shrieked and took a couple steps back. A face appeared on the tree, like something out of 'Pocahontas', only much, _much _freakier.

"Um, we just want to have some lemons to make lemonade," explained Robbie.

"And just how are you worthy to use _my _lemons?" the tree asked, looking down at the two.

"To be honest, sir, we aren't worthy," said Maddie, knowing just what to say to convince the tree, "No one is worthy enough to take such delicious fruit from such a handsome tree. But, we thought, what better lemons to make lemonade with than the lemons from the best tree in the park?" Maddie flashed her innocent little girl eyes as a grand finale. "So sir, may we please have some?"

The tree thought for a minute. "Very well, but on one condition. Your lemonade must be pure lemon juice. No sugar or water added."

"What? But then it'll be totally sour!" said Robbie.

_"**Do not disrespect me!" **_the tree boomed, "Your people drank lemonade for years without the impure additions. If any are added to my lemonade, you will pay! Understand?"

"Understood sir," Maddie said quickly, hitting Robbie's arm, "Right Robbie?"

"Yeah," Robbie agreed, glaring at the bird.

"Good." The tree then lowered it's branches, and allowed the yellow fruit to be picked.

()()()()()()()()()

"One, two, three!" Since they didn't have a lemon squeezer, Maddie and Robbie had to squeeze the lemon together to get the juice out. The yellow liquid only filled one quarter of the pitcher, at first. But in the blink of an eye, it filled the whole pitcher.

"Whoa," they said in unison. Curious, they each poured themselves a glass. The pitcher refilled itself. Maddie volunteered to try the drink first. She only took a sip, and then chugged the whole glass. "Mmm, yummy!" she said happily.

Robbie, now even more curious, drank the whole glass. His eyes widened and his tail was standing straight up. "Wow! This is good!"

"Maddie, Robbie! How are the new park entrepreneurs doing?" The two looked and saw Benson and Pops walking towards the stand.

"Well, we haven't sold anything yet," said Maddie, "but I bet we will soon."

"Here, try some!" Robbie said, handing the gumball machine and the lolliman each a glass. Both said thank you, and drank.

"Oh my! Such a cool, refreshing drink! Good show! Jolly good show!" shouted Pops, gleefully.

"Yeah, this isn't half bad," said Benson. Both men got out their wallets. Benson handed them a five dollar bill, while Pops gave them a strawberry lollipop.

"Keep the change," Benson said with a smile.

"Now don't spend it all in one place!" Pops added, waving goodbye. Both kids smiled at each other.

Almost as if everyone in the park was under a spell, people started lining up at their stand, everyone wanting a glass of delicious lemonade. Even Mikey bought a cup (who immediantly said it sucked once he was finished. But that didn't stop him from buying three more cups).

"We have enough to buy two 'Adventurer's Journey's!" Robbie shouted happily as he counted up the money. They had finally gotten through everyone in the line, and they were all sitting at the snack bar tables, happily sipping lemonade.

"Game store, here we come!" Maddie announced.

"Hey, how's my two favorite kids doing in the lemonade business?" Looking up from their pile of money, the two kids saw the familiar, tall raccoon.

"Thanks for the idea, Don," said Maddie.

"We have more than enough money to buy our game now!" added Robbie.

"Well great, but I think I'll still buy a glass," said Don, giving them a friendly smile.

"Here you go!" said Maddie, handing him a glass before getting distracted by another customer. Don took a sip of the lemonade, and his smile fell a little.

'It's good,' Don thought, 'But... it's missing something." Don looked under the stand. Next to an abandoned pitcher of lemonade that looked like the premade kind, there was an open bad of sugar. Don smiled. 'A little extra sugar couldn't hurt.'

Don bent down, and picked up a pinch of sugar.

"Thank you, and come agai-..." Robbie said before noticing what his uncle was doing. Maddie noticed this too as she was pouring another glass.

"Don! No!" they both shouted in unison. But it was too late. The sugar landed at the top of the lemonade, and instantly, the sky began to turn a shade of sea green. The wind began to pick up, and they could hear the tree's booming voice echo through the park.

"_**For decades, you soiled my pure lemonade with crystal rocks and tasteless water. And even after I forbid you, you continue to disrespect me! You. Will. PAY!"**_

The lemon juice began to rise from peoples' glasses. All the lemonade began to mix together in a sort of lemonade tyhoon. Finally, they began to take the form of something. A body. Arms and legs were formed, then a torso, and to finish it off, a head complete with a lemon hat.

The lemonade monster glared at the customers. It's arm began to grow, and it crashed into the people like a yellow tidal wave. Maddie and Robbie hid behind the snack bar counter just in time, while Don ran and his behind a tree.

"Lemon juice! My eyes!" The people shouted as they tried to run away.

"**_I will not stop until I destroy the two who took my lemons, and the one responsible for making my juice impure!" _**

"What are we going to do!" Maddie shouted, "It's a liquid monster, how are we supposed to destroy it!"

Robbie thought back to the chemistry books he read. Lemonade was really just juice, water and sugar. Sugar, sweet. Lemonade was sweet, even without sugar. "What's the opposite of sweet?" Robbie asked.

"Huh? What does that have to do with anything!" Maddie asked.

"Lemonade is sweet! If we counteract it, we can destroy it! So what can overpower sweetness?"

Maddie thought for a moment. She then gasped. "Soda!"

Robbie smiled. "Yes! Soda is man-made, it's fizzy almost like an acid, at least to a fruit. It could definitely overpower the lemonade! Only question is how to attack him with it."

"Good thing we forgot our waterguns over here," said Maddie, "Come on!" The two kids ran out the back exit, and just in time too. The lemonade monster had completely destroyed it with one kick of its' leg.

"Kids!" Don shouted.

"Don't worry, we'll be fine!" Robbie yelled over his shoulder.

"Just fine somewhere to keep yourself safe!" Maddie shouted. Don looked up at the lemonade monster and glared. This was his fault, he wasn't going to just sit there and do nothing. Making a run for it, Don ran towards the front end of the park.

**_"Where are you!"_ **The monster shouted, **_"So help me, I'll destroy the whole park if I have to, the whole world even!"_**

"Oh, I don't think that will be neccessary, cause we're right here!" shouted Maddie. The monster looked down and saw that the bird and raccoon had returned. They now had squirt guns, Maddie's filled with Pepsi, and Robbie's filled with Mountain Dew.

"Drink soda, jerk!" Robbie shouted. The two began spraying the monster, who roared loudly. "Ha, get it? Soda jerk?"

"Just shut up and spray," replied Maddie. Robbie glared at her and then turned back to the monster. The monster tried drowning the two with his waves of lemonade. But the two were too quick for him. They would easily dodge each attack, and then continue spraying soda at their enemy.

The monster was now only about five feet tall. "Alright, let's finish it off!" shouted Robbie. He pumped his water gun, but nothing came out. Same with Maddie's.

"Oh no, we're all out!" Maddie yelled. The monster laugh, and began to grow again.

_**"So much for your attack. Now, prepare to..."**_

"Hey!" The monster turned around, and Maddie and Robbie looked. It was Don, standing strong and looking determined. "No one hurts my nephew and friend." He held up his arm. In his hand was a can of Radicola. He shook it up, opened it and then tossed it at the monster like a grenade.

The can exploded on impact, hitting the monster right between the eyes. _**"No! Nooooo!"** _The monster yelled as his head became covered in brown bubbles, his body now bubbling and melting as if it really had been hit with acid. **_"I'm melting, I'm_ _mellllltiiing." _**Finally, all that was left of the monster was a yellow puddle.

"Wow," said Maddie, looking up at the tall raccoon, "That was pretty cool."

"Yeah, thanks D-... Uncle Don," Robbie said with a smile.

"What can I say? A guy's gotta protect his family." The kids then started to notice how big of a mess they had made. Strike that, how much of a _disaster _they had made. But the worse part: The smashed money jar with all their dollar bills on the ground. Their wet, wrinkled, slightly dissolving, useless dollar bills.

"Man, all that and we still don't even have the money to buy our game?" Robbie said, dissappointed.

"Well, I guess there's always Christmas."

"Uh, kids." Maddie and Robbie looked up. "You know, I never did pay for my lemonade," said Don. He took out his wallet, and pulled out a thirty dollar bill. The two kids looked at him, mouths agape. "let's just call it a tip, for being such good kids."

Both kids ran over to the elder raccoon and gave him a big hug. "Thanks Uncle Don, you really are cool," said Robbie.

"No problem, tyke," Don replied, just as happy as ever.

"Next stop, the game store!" Maddie shouted.

"What the heck happened!" they heard Benson shout.

"You might want to help clean up a little first," Don suggested.

()()()()()()()()()

Once the three went home, Eileen already had a taco dinner prepared. The meal was delicious. Afterwards, Maddie and Robbie decided to relax in front of the tv (they would get the game the next day), while Eileen took care of the dishes and Rigby and Don decided to hang out outside.

"It's been a while, huh bro?" Don said.

"You were here last year at Christmas," Rigby reminded him.

"Yeah, but a lot changes in a year," replied Don. The social raccoon then became uncharacteristically silent. "Rigby, don't get me wrong, I love my job but I have to say, I'm a little jealous of you. You've got a great life here, a great family."

Rigby thought of Eileen and Robbie, and smiled. "Yeah, I guess I do."

"But mostly, I'm really proud of you bro." He then wrapped his arm around his older brother in a one armed hug, and Rigby didn't try to pull away. "I still hope to be like you one day, you know, have a great girl like Eileen and have kids of my own."

"You're Mr. Perfect," Rigby joked, "You'll find somebody, eventually."

Don smiled. A few minutes later, the whole family plus Margaret and Maddie were outside, saying their goodbyes to Don. This time, neither Rigby nor Robbie were reluctant about giving Don sugar.

"I'll see you guys around! Take care!" Don said happily as he waved goodbye. With one final wave, Don started the car, and drove away.

"It's always kinda nice to have your brother visit," commented Eileen.

"I guess Don is pretty cool," said Robbie, "Huh Dad?"

Rigby thought for a moment, and gave a small smile. "Yeah, I guess he is... but, don't tell anyone I said that." Everyone just laughed.

**I hope Don makes an appearance in a future RS episode, he's really an interesting character and I'd like to see more of Don and Rigby's relationship. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter. I'll probably have a few more summer chapters before the kids start school. Rules are appreciated, and have a nice weekend!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Okay, thanks to an anonymous reviewer, I realized Mordecai hasn't been in the last two chapters. I'm going to fix that. But first I had to think of an idea. I was stuck for a while, but then this idea just randomly popped in my head while I waiting for a video to load on my phone. And it was just to good to refuse, which is weird because the third character featured in this chapter is one I can't stand. Oh well, who knows how my brain works. Enjoy!**

Another summer day, another drawing. While he would never use it, Mordecai very well could.

The bluejay was sitting in what everyone in the family called 'the Art room'. The walls were painted beige but were covered in pencil and crayon drawings, and small paint streaks. There were a couple easels, chalk and coal for drawings that involved shading techniques, a few cans of paint in random colors, and finally, an art desk.

Next to the desk was a beautiful landscaping painting of the park. One of Maellard's (surprisingly the old jerk was still alive) business partners had seen Mordecai's mural by the park and wanted a picture just as good if not better. Luckily, since Mordecai had spent years staring at landscapes at the park, he could've very easily painted the picture in his sleep.

With the painting done two days ahead of schedule, Mordecai was just sitting at his desk, doodling pictures on a paper for fun. So far, he had drawn the Destroyer of Worlds, a few cartoon people, and a sandwich (probably because it was almost lunchtime).

The bird heard the front door open and slam shut. "Hey Dad!"

"I thought you were out shopping with your mom, you even wanted to go this time," said Mordecai as the young bird walked into his room.

"I did until I found out we were only going clothes shopping," Maddie said with disgust, "But Mom took me home after the first store since we were driving by the house anyway." Maddie looked over her dad's shoulder. "So, whacha doin'?"

"Eh, just drawing a little," replied Mordecai, "but I don't think I can work on an empty stomach. How 'bout some lunch?"

"Can we have grilled cheese?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah we can!" Maddie smiled. The two walked out of the room and into the hallway. They were about to walk into the kitchen when...

*BAM!*

"Yo, Mordecai! I need your help, bro!"

Mordecai blinked. "Muscleman, did you just kicked my door open? The door was locked!"

"Why do you think I kicked it open?" Muscleman replied, rolling his eyes.

"Look, you can't just walk into our house without even knocking!" Maddie said, glaring at the green man and crossing her arms, reminding both men of how Margaret would look if she was there.

However, since it wasn't Margaret, Muscleman wasn't intimidated at all, and simply stepped around the bird. "So, are you gonna help me or not?"

"What do you even with my help with? Can't High Five Ghost help you?" Mordecai asked, still scowling.

"I can't go to fives, or anyone else, I can only go to you, bro!" replied Muscleman, "Because, I need advice on how to deal with a kid who's a girl!"

When Mikey was six years old, Starla got pregant again. This wasn't a big surprise to anyone, in fact, they were a little surprised it didn't happen sooner (but let's not get into _that_). Starla gave birth to twins, one boy and one girl. The boy was named Mathew, and the girl was named Samantha.

"I figured since you had a girl, and you kinda act like a girl,-"

"I don't act like a girl!" Mordecai yelled.

"Yeah, says the dude that's watched 'Shy Guy' how many times?" Muscleman retorted. The bird gave him a glare that clearly sent the message 'say one more word and I throw you out'. "Anyway, you're the only one who can help me. So, are you gonna do it or not, I don't have all day."

As much as Mordecai wanted to refuse, he knew if he did, Muscleman would either start crying (if he was desperate enough) or vandalize his house later. So, Mordecai didn't have much of a choice. "*groan*, fine." He looked at Maddie. "You know how to use the grilled cheese maker, right? You can start making your sandwich if you want to."

With that, Mordecai and Muscleman went back into the art room and Maddie headed into the kitchen. But she really wanted to make the sandwiches with her dad, so, she simply grabbed a can of soda and sat down at the kitchen table.

"So, what's your problem?" Mordecai asked.

"She hates me," Muscleman said simply before flopping down on an extra chair. 'I wonder why,' Mordecai thought, but bit his tongue before he could say it.

"Give me some examples, dude," Mordecai replied.

"Well, I guess the newest thing was this morning. She was upset last night, but I figured it was just a girl thing, so I didn't say anything. But this morning, she was still being sad, so I asked what was wrong. She said some jerk kids in her kindergarden class kept teasing her. So I told her if she toughened up, she wouldn't get teased so much. But she gives me her 'mad face' and goes to her room!"

Mordecai facepalmed. "Muscleman, I thought you knew this already. Girls are sensitive, emotional. Telling them to 'suck it up' when they're getting teased isn't exactly being sensitive."

"But it's true. If Sammi just showed those kids who's boss, they'd know not to mess with my little girl!"

"She's six years old! She doesn't know how nor does she want to be tough! She just wants to play and enjoy school!" Mordecai shouted. He sighed. 'I swear it's like talking to a brick wall,' Mordecai thought, 'or Rigby. No, even Rigby isn't _this _thick-headed."

"Well, what am I supposed to do?" Muscleman asked.

"What do you do when Starla is upset about something?" Mordecai asked.

"Well, I guess I just let her yell about it, then I hug her and ask her if she wants some chocolate or somethin' since sweets usually make her stop being mad."

"Then that's what you need to do if Sammi is upset," said Mordecai, "let her tell you about it, listen to her, give her a little advice... _good _advice, and then get her a snack or something to make her feel better."

"Huh, yeah I guess that could work," said Muscleman, with a small smile, "I guess you're better than I thought at this girl stuff."

"So, what else do you need help with?" Mordecai asked, wanting to make sure all of Muscleman's problems were solved so he wouldn't have to come back for a long, _long_ time.

"Well, whenever she wants me to play with her or hang out with her, I always say no and then she gives me the 'sad face'," said Muscleman.

"Why don't you play with her?"

"Because I don't know how to!" Muscleman yelled, "I can't do anything with little kids who are girls! I can't play wrestling with them like I can with Mikey and Matt because I don't want to hurt her with my muscles, and I can't have a burping contest or a chugging soda contest with her 'cus it isn't ladylike so she wouldn't like it. She only likes doing girly things like dolls or dress up and stuff like that."

Maddie could hear the conversation in the kitchen. She could understand why Muscleman was having such trouble. Sammi was definitely a girly girl in every sense of the word. Everytime Maddie saw her at a family gathering, she was either wearing a princess costume or had a pretty doll in her hands, sometimes both. Sammi and her father were so opposite, it was hard to believe she was his daughter. She didn't have an ounce of 'Muscleman'-ness in her. If her skin tone wasn't green and her hair not brown, you would think Sammi was adopted.

"You ever try doing some of the girly things?" Mordecai asked, stating the obvious.

"What! No way, I ain't doin' any of that girly stuff," replied Muscleman.

"Well you don't have much of a choice do you?" Mordecai snapped back, "I thought you learned years ago when you almost lost Starla to drop your pride and do things that may seem a little girly."

Muscleman remembered what Mordecai was talking about. He had almost lost Starla, he would've spent forever without her. But when he finally expressed his true feelings for her, she came back to him and never let him go. Muscleman smiled a little.

"I know the girly things may seem a little silly and even weird, but sometimes they can be fun," said Mordecai. The bird smiled. "When Maddie was like five or something like that, back when she was into playing with dolls, she wanted me to play with her. It started off just trying to play with a doll without feeling stupid, but then I started adding my own twists to the game. The dolls ended up going to space and fighting a giant monster, at least that's what we said happened. And you know what, by the time we were done playing, we were _both _having fun."

Maddie smiled happily at the memory. She remembered it just as well as Mordecai. Since he was just watching tv, Maddie asked her dad to play dolls with her. Mordecai was reluctant, but he couldn't resist his daughter's sad puppy dog eyes. So, she gave Mordecai the blonde doll while she kept the one with black hair. She remembered her dad not being very good at acting like a girl, giggling at the thought.

But when Maddie's doll decided she need a car, Mordecai turned it into a rocket. The game had gone from two dolls going shopping, to going into space and fighting a monster (which was in reality, just an oven mitt with plastic forks taped onto it to look like teeth). Maddie remembered getting over excited and accidently throwing her doll and breaking a window. But Mordecai took the blame for her. Despite the window incident, it was a great afternoon, one Maddie wouldn't forget.

"Even if they are silly and girly, you'll grow to love them," said Mordecai to Muscleman, who was finally starting to get it. "And one day, when they don't want to play those games anymore and they're all grown up and all that, you'll miss playing those games. It's like, when you're all grown up but you miss doing those stupid things you did as a kid, only it's with another person. If you don't play with your kid now, you miss the chance, and you'll miss out on a lot of good memories."

Muscleman thought about this. Muscleman loved being a dad to two boys. They acted like him, and would grow up being just as strong and awesome as him (at least, that was his opinion). But when Muscleman thought about his daughter, it brought on a whole new feeling. Sammi was the 2nd most important girl in his life.

He loved whenever she would call him 'Daddy', he thought she was cute whenever she acted like her mother, or when she danced in her princess costumes. Most of all, he loved being her dad. And as much as he didn't want to believe it, Mordecai was right. It would only be a few years before she would stop being that cute little girl and would never go back.

As self-centered, rude, and obnoxious as Muscleman was, he was still human. He still had emotions, and he was still a dad, who wanted to be loved by his little girl.

"Muscleman, you may not be the most polite person I've ever met," said Mordecai, "Or the most considerate, or the best smelling. But I know that if you try at it, you can be a great parent."

The green man smiled. "Hey Mordecai?"

"Yeah dude."

His smile changed, making him look like a kid who's just about to play the best joke ever. "You know who else can be a great parent if they tried? My mom!" Mordecai rolled his eyes. Same old Muscleman. He laughed as he started walking out of the door. But just before he walked through the doorway, he stopped. "But, uh, seriously bro, thanks."

"No problem dude," replied Mordecai, "Just remember what I told you." And with that, Muscleman left. Mordecai stepped back into the hallway, but this time a pair of wings wrapped around his waist stopped him from walking to the kitchen.

"What's that for?" Mordecai asked after he returned the hug.

"For being a great dad," Maddie replied with a smile, "and for not being like Muscleman."

"That's something we can both agree on," said Mordecai, "Now come on, I think it's time we cook some grilled cheese." He extended the last two words by about two syllables.

"Do you think we'll get attacked by the oven mitt monster?" Maddie joked.

"Hey, with all the other crazy stuff that's happened in our lives, anything's possible," Mordecai replied. They both laughed and finally headed into the kitchen. Maddie continued smiling as they cooked the grilled cheese sandwiches together.

She was definitely grateful for her dad.

**Hope this turned out as good as it did in my head. Also, if anyone has any ideas for a chapter with Maddie and/or Robbie and their mothers, I would gladly take it. Since I've only showed the kids and their relationship with their dads, I want to show their relationship with their moms too. But that's a lot harder for me to write since I've based the kid/parent relationships on my own and I'm a lot closer to my dad than my mom. So I can't think of anything, but I'll gladly take suggestions. **

**Please review, and I'll see you in the next chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**This idea is kinda a combination of 'Night at the Museum' and that one episode of 'Courage the Cowardly Dog' where the paintings come to life. Anyway, hope you all enjoy it! ^-^**

_The raft continued flowing down the river. The four companions, a kid, a runaway, and two con artists who said they decended from royality, were trying to figure out what their next plan of action was. They were crossing into the next state. Suddenly, the 'King' (that's what everyone called him) got an idea! And that idea was..._

*Bonk!*

"Hey! I said knock it off!" Robbie shouted.

"Hey, no yelling in the library," Mikey replied with a smile before hi-fiying his little brother. The raccoon groaned and turned back to the old book he was trying to read.

It was nearly eight at night. The two friends had been there all afternoon and a couple hours after supper. Unfortunately, ever since they had returned to the library, Mikey and his little twin brother, Matt had been throwing puzzle pieces at the back of Robbie's head. Sammi, Matt's twin sister, was there too, but she was actually trying to put together the fifty piece puzzle.

"This would be so much easier if they weren't there," Robbie said, scowling, "Why can't Mom just kick them out?"

"Well, this is a public library," Maddie, who was reading a random magazine, replied, "and you know, if you had just..."

"Oh don't even say it!" Robbie interrupted.

Maddie smirked. It was too good to pass up. "I'm just saying, if you hadn't have waited till the last two weeks of summer to read an assigned book forty two chapters long, maybe you wouldn't have to deal with the Muscle Brothers and the Muscle Sister."

"You don't really have room to talk you know," said Robbie, pushing his glasses up a little, "You didn't read the book until last week!"

"Yeah, but you're the book worm," Maddie retorted, "I figured you would've read the book at the beginning of summer."

"I did."

"Well, what happened?"

"Well..." Robbie thought back to the first week of summer. He had started reading the assigned book, but then his mom told him that the library had just gotten a new adventure book series. Robbie decided it couldn't hurt to read the first book. Or the second. Or even the third.

One month and thirteen books later, Robbie had a new favorite book series, and the assigned reading was in the back of his mind. The rest of July had lemonade monsters, camping trips, swimming in the pool, playing his and Maddie's new favorite video game, going to the latest summer blockbusters, and all the other regular irregular stuff the two friends would do in the summer.

But now it was August, and school was twelve days away, less than two weeks! And he had only read the first chapter, and he hadn't even started the book report. Middle school hadn't even started yet and he was already falling behind!

"I kinda got sidetracked," said Robbie sheepishly. But then he got determined. "But I'm going to finish this book in plenty of time to enjoy the last week of summer. I mean, come on, I'm already at chapter ten. I only need to read thirty two more chapters in five days. Piece of cake!"

*Bonk* Robbie growled.

"Maybe if you can ignore incoming puzzle pieces," said Maddie. Robbie said nothing, he just burried his nose inside the book, trying to stay as focused as possible.

Just then, the pair of twins yawned in unison. "Hey Mikey, I'm sleepy," said Sammi, rubbing her eyes.

"Yeah, can we go home?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, I'm starting to get bored throwing puzzle pieces at losers," said Mikey, "Let's go." The three siblings stood up, and headed for the door.

Robbie sighed. "Finally, maybe I can actually read a little."

"Hey kids," Eileen said, walking up from behind him. Robbie slammed his head down on the desk. "Is he okay?" Eileen asked.

"Yeah, it's just been a rough couple hours since Muscleman's kids kept bugging him," Maddie answered.

"Oh, I'm sorry Robbie," Eileen said as her son lifted his head back up, "But we have to go, sweetie."

"But the library doesn't close until 9," said Robbie.

"Yeah, but I have to leave early to pick up a few things, and no one else is here working," said Eileen, "So I have to lock up."

Robbie pouted. He wanted to at least get to chapter sixteen tonight. Only six more chapters, he could definitely read that in an hour. But he had to do it at the library. If he didn't, he would only get one or two chapters read, if that. There were too many distractions at home. The tv, video games, and Rigby talking about whatever crazy thing he and Mordecai did that night.

"Wait, Mom," said Robbie, getting an idea, "I could close up for you. Just let us stay here another hour. Please?"

"Well," Eileen said, thinking, "I guess it couldn't hurt. But you need to make sure you lock the doors when you leave, and you can't leave the lights on."

"I won't, Mom," insisted Robbie.

"Well, okay then," Eileen replied with a smile. She fished the library keys out of her pocket and handed them to her son. "I want you guys home by 8:20, okay?"

"Okay." Eileen gave Robbie a kiss on the cheek, and then left.

"Okay, _now _I'll get some reading done," Robbie said. He leaned back in his chair, and opened the book.

"While you're doing that, I'm going to go see if I can find anything else to read," Maddie said, standing up from her chair and grabbing her magazine.

Meanwhile, across the library, there was a cart filled with books that the newest librarian had forgot to put away. There were about twenty books on it, but most of them were on the bottom of the cart, with the exception of a few on the top.

Outside, the few clouds left in the sky had just passed, leaving only a beautiful full moon and a few stray stars in the sky. The light from the bright moon shined through the window of the library at just the right angle, sending a trail of moonlight down onto the library floor. Specifically where the book cart was (what are the odds of that?). The moonlight bounced off of the bookcart, and landed on on book spine, section R bottom row. The title of the book:

Re-animation and Rising Inanimate Objects.

"There has to be a decent mystery book here somewhere," Maddie mumbled as she searched through the shelves, "Or at least a good manga."

"Hey you!" Maddie quickly turned around. Standing right behind her was a man, but he was wearing a ridiculous outfit and a giant top hat. He was also holding a cup of tea.

"What the...?"

"You're late for tea, my dear!" the man said. He giggled and then tossed the cup at her, splashing her with the lukewarm tea.

"Hey!" The man giggled again and ran off. "Get back here!" Maddie shouted. She followed the man until she was in the children's section. There, she saw something she definitely didn't see everyday.

The entire aisle was filled with book characters. A girl with her yorkie dog, a family of bears in clothes, an army of small, orange men with green hair and overalls, a family of bears with clothes, and other various characters.

"Uh, Robbie? You may want to check this out!"

Back at the table, Robbie had been reading when he heard Maddie shout. He called her name but never got a reply. So, he sat his book down and went to look for her.

"Maddie?" Robbie called. 'Where is she?' he thought. Just then, he felt something run into him. He looked down and saw that it was a small dog. "Oh hey little guy, how did you get in here?" he asked, picking up the pup.

Just then, a loud growl was heard. Robbie looked up and saw bigger version of the pup. Same fur color, but with sharper features and sharper fangs. It was then Robbie realized he wasn't holding a normal house dog. He was holding a wolf, more specifically, a wolf's pup.

Slowly, Robbie set down the pup, and then ran for his life. "Help!" he yelled as the wolf chased him. He quickly climbed up a bookshelf, and stood on top of it, right next to a sign that said "Animal Books".

The wolf growled at him, but walked away as soon as it figured out it wouldn't be able to climb the shelf. Robbie let out a sigh of relief. "That was close," he said. The raccoon begin to look around the library. Since he was on top of a high place, he could now see what was happening in the library.

The building was filled with characters, different creatures, and even random words from dictionaries and thesauruses floating around. 'Just another normal night,' Robbie thought sarcastically.

"Robbie!" Robbie looked down, and saw Maddie on the other side of the bookshelf.

"There you are!" Robbie said, before jumping down from the shelf, "Do you know what's going on?"

"I thought you would know!" Maddie replied, "All I know is one minute I'm walking through the library, and the next there's a ton of random book characters in front of me."

"At least you weren't in the wild animals section," mumbled Robbie, "Now, we need to find a way to get all these guys back in their books."

"Well, you have any ideas?"

"...We need to call Skips."

Quickly, the kids headed towards the front desk. They picked up the phone, and quickly dialed the yeti's number.

"Hello?" said a raspy voice.

"Skips?" the kids asked in unison.

"Kids?"

"Yeah, it's us Skips, we need your help," said Robbie.

"We're down at the library, and all the book characters came to life!" Maddie said.

"And other things too, like animals and words. We figured since it probably had something to do with magic, you would know how to fix it. So, do you know what to do, Skips?"

"Hmm. Tell me, does the library have a book called 'Re-animation and Rising Inanimate Objects'?"

"Um, hold on." Robbie quickly woke up the library computer, and typed in the title on the library website. Another screen popped up. "Yeah, here it is, according to the computer it was just returned today."

"I've heard of this before," Skips said, "If I remember my history right, the guy who wrote the book was never taken seriously. So, he made it so whenever moonlight hit the book, it would make whatever things near come to life. Furniture, books, toys and figures, I've even heard of food being brought to life."

"So, how do we stop it?" Maddie asked.

"If you find the book, it should have a reverse spell in it," replied Skips, "But remember, if you have to say a spell, you have to do it... Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep."

"Huh?" Both kids looked and saw a mouse chewing on the cord.

"Hey! Stop that!" Robbie shouted, shooing the mouse away. The rodent ran, but the phone line was already cut. "Great."

"Let's just find that book," said Maddie, "I'm sure we can figure out the rest once we read the spell."

"Okay," said Robbie, "Skips said the book was called Re-animation or something, so it'll be in nonfiction, R."

"Great, let's go." The kids quickly started to run towards the non-fiction section.

Unfortunately, they didn't count on about a hundred storybook characters being in front of them. Princesses, pirates, animals (both normal and human like), knights, kids, small monsters, super heroes, storybook heroes and villains, famous characters in history, mythical creatures, extinct creatures, and that was just the tip of the iceberg!

With the library only being a medium sized building, and a crowd of storybook characters being on the same floor, it was almost impossible to get through.

"What do we do now?" Robbie asked.

Just then, out of the corner of her eyes, Maddie saw something sparkly fly past her. She looked closer at it and saw a pair of wings and a girl's body. "Tinker Bell!" she shouted happily.

"You know, this isn't a time to get nostalgic about old characters," Robbie said.

"Dude, I know what I'm doing, haven't you ever read 'Peter Pan?'" Maddie asked. She didn't even bother waiting for an answer. "Hey Tink! You were always my favorite character!"

The pixie smiled. "Think you can help us out a little?" Maddie asked. The fairy didn't answer, she instead flew over to the kids, and flew in a circle above the kids. Pixie dust was sprinkled on their heads, and after a few seconds, they began to float upwards.

"Oh yeah, great idea Maddie!" Robbie said, smiling at her.

"Hm hm, and they said birds like me couldn't fly," Maddie said with a smirk.

"Okay, let's go find that book!" Robbie said. With their new flight abilities, the kids were quickly able to fly over the fictional and non fictional crowd. In only a few minutes, they were at Section R of the nonfiction area of the library.

They landed gracefully in front of the bookshelf. "Okay, Ra, Re, read, really, re-animate! Here it is!" The raccoon pulled out the old, red covered book. He opened it up and skimmed through the yellow pages of the book.

"Just a quick suggestion," said a purple cat who appeared out nowhere, "check page twenty five." Robbie turned to the twenty-fifth page.

"How to deal with a confused newly-conscious thing?" Robbie read, a little confused.

"Or was that fifty two? I suppose my mind is slipping a little," the cat said with a grin. Robbie scowled at him, and the cat dissappeared.

"Dumb cat," the raccoon mumbled. He continued flipping the pages.

"There it is!" Maddie shouted, pointing at the title of a page.

Robbie started reading out loud. "'Reversal. If one wishes to reverse a re-animation or giving life to something they don't want alive, they must only wait until the next day and all magic will return to the book.' We can't wait that long! Do you know how much damage these guys could do in a night?"

A shout was heard, and both kids ducked, nearly dodging a sword that stabbed through the back wall. "Eh, probably a lot," replied Maddie.

Robbie continued reading. "'If the spellcaster cannot wait until the following day, then they need only to say these words.' Here's the spell!"

"Well, say it!" said Maddie.

Robbie cleared his throat. "Animous, creaturous, humonous, objectus. Return to stone, magic retreat, frozen and dead for the next century. Completous!"

The characters didn't move. But after a few seconds, nothing happened, so they continued doing whatever they were doing.

"I don't get it. Did you say it right?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I did," replied Robbie, "I guess we're missing the extra thing Skips is talking about."

Maddie thought for a moment. "Didn't he say something about the moon?"

"Yeah, he said something about the moonlight hitting the book, and then the things by it came to life," said Robbie, "So, we just have to find the moonlight, and read the spell."

"There it is!" Maddie pointed. In a window above the 'Transportation' section, the moon was shining brightly. It was almost like a small spotlight shining down on the bookshelf.

Robbie quickly climbed up the 'R' bookcase, and began jumping across to each case, dodging whatever objects flew at him. "Look out, Robbie!" Maddie shouted.

Robbie looked in front of him, and saw a Wilbur Bros. plane, and a pterodactyl flying right towards him. Letting out a yell, the young raccoon quickly flattened himself, and narrowly missed the flying dangers.

As soon as they passed, Robbie continued jumping until he landed on the bookcase in front of the window. Robbie was about to start saying the spell when he felt the bookcase start to shake. He looked down and saw a lumberjack chopping at the wooden case.

"Hurry!" Maddie shouted.

"Okay, okay!" Robbie opened the book. In the moonlight, the words of the reversal spell began to glow blue. Robbie began to read. _"Animous, creaturous, humonous, objectus. Return to stone, magic retreat, frozen and dead for the next century. Completous!"_

Every book character, animal, object from a book, and floating word in the library froze and glowed a bright blue. In a flash of light and a cloud of blue sparkles, they all disappeared.

Both kids sighed in relief, and Robbie climbed down from the bookcase.

"Nice job, dude," Maddie complimented.

"Thanks," Robbie replied with a smile. The kids looked around at the damage, but surprisingly, there was none! Even the bookcase that had been chopped at was magically repaired. "I guess the book really did reverse everything."

"Which is a good thing for us," said Maddie, "now we don't have to clean up anything, and we won't get in trouble. And, I guess you can get back to your book."

Before Robbie could answer, he let out a loud yawn. "Uh, I think I'm just ready to go home. I can read tomorrow, even if it will take longer with more chapters to read."

Maddie yawned too. "Yeah, I guess we should call it a night." So, after going around the library and turning off all the lights, Robbie locked the door and the two friends walked home together.

()()()()()()()()()

"So, how was being at the library alone go?" Eileen asked, as she tucked in her son, "did you get as much reading done as you wanted to?"

"Not exactly," Robbie said, placing his glasses on the bedside table, "I read a couple chapters, but then I kinda had to deal with something. Don't worry, it was nothing big. And don't worry, I'll get my reading done." 'Or at least try to,' the young raccoon thought.

"What book are you reading anyway?" Eileen asked.

"It's on my desk if you want to look at it," Robbie said. Curious, Eileen walked over to her son's desk and picked up the book. "Oh hey, I remember reading this story when I was in school. It was one of the better ones we had to read."

"Really?"

"Well, it was better than 'Pride and Prejudice'," replied Eileen, "Hey, maybe we could read this together tomorrow. Does that sound good?"

Eileen hadn't read to Robbie since he was in kindergarden. Even though he could easily read the book on his own, Robbie smiled at the idea of he and his mom reading it together. Besides, he would be less likely to get distracted or bothered if they read together.

"Yeah, that sounds cool, thanks Mom," Robbie said smiling.

Eileen smiled back. "Goodnight Robbie."

"Night Mom." Eileen gave him a hug, and then left the room. As Robbie laid down, he couldn't help but feel happy about reading with his mom the next day. He really did like reading, just as long as there were no wild wolves waiting to attack him, planes to dodge, or weird cheshire cats.

"Oh come on now, cheshires aren't that bad, are we?"

Robbie quickly turned the light back on. But nothing was there, not a single trace of cat. "Hm hm," he said with a scowl, "Dumb cat." He turned off the lights.

**Hope this turned out as well as I thought. This chapter would've been up yesterday, but I woke up late, so I didn't have time to finish the chapter. The next chapter will be one about Maddie and Margaret. I actually thought of that chapter first (thanks to a suggestion from a reviewer who I will mention at the beginning of the next chapter), and I would've wrote it first. But I didn't want two Maddie/normal chapters in a row, so I thought of a Robbie/'crazy thing happens' chapter to go in between. After the Maddie chapter, they'll start school, but don't worry, the story won't start getting dull just because they'll be in school. **

**Special thanks to everyone who submitted suggestions, as well as everyone who reviewed (40 reviews! I didn't think I would reach 25 reviews!). I have the next few chapters planned out, but I will definitely consider some of the suggestions for future chapters. Hope you all liked this chapter, please review and I'll see you in the next one!**

**P.S: Whoever guesses the name of the book Robbie was reading, you get 'Free cake! Free cake!' (I just finished reading it in my English class, it actually was pretty good). **


	10. Chapter 10

**First off, I want to announce who guessed the book right, and that person was... DawnieDawnDawn, who guessed 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' and is correct! Nice guessing :) **

**2nd, this idea was inspired by reviews from Pinkluver93 and Bigslayerguyman. Thanks for the inspiration. Hope you all enjoy the chapter :)**

One week left until Middle School started. Middle school, a whole new school with new kids and teachers. Maddie had all her school supplies in her new bookbag ready to go, but she still didn't feel ready for middle school. Not because she felt unprepared, she just didn't want summer to end. The season was just way too short for her liking.

Since her mom was busy going over some paperwork for the company she worked for, Maddie was simply laying on the couch and watching tv. Normally she would go outside and practice baseball, or play with Robbie. But unfortunately, her best friends was still camping with his parents, and while she could practice on her own, it wouldn't be as fun.

'It's my last week of summer, I shouldn't be laying her,' Maddie thought, 'I need to do something... I just don't know what.'

"Finished!" Margaret happily closed the folder, put her pencil down, and sighed. Her work was finally done, and now she had the entire day to do whatever she wanted. She glanced around her at-home office, and her eyes fell on a picture on her desk.

The picture was of her, Mordecai and Maddie (who was five at the time) sitting on a bench at the park. Rigby's arm was in the picture too, since he tried to get into the picture but didn't quite make it. The scarlet bird smiled at the picture, specifically at her husband.

Said husband was about two cities away, at a self produced artists convention. Normally he wouldn't have cared about going, but three famous art collectors would be there looking at people's best work. It would've been a missed opportunity if the bluejay didn't go, so Margaret insisted he did.

Glancing at the picture again, Margaret now looked at her young daughter. She found her smile slipping a little. Two days alone together, and all the two had really done together was eat meals together and watch some tv. Not really what you would call quality time.

She remembered what Eileen had said to her on the phone before she left for the weekend with her family. "Maybe with Mordecai gone for the weekend, you and Maddie will spend some quality mother/daughter time together." So much for that.

It wasn't as if the two didn't love each other, they definitely did. They ate meals and talked during them, they watched certain shows together, Margaret always came to every one of Maddie's baseball games, and they always told each other they loved each other.

But still, Margaret usually had to work while Maddie was at home, which meant Maddie would spend more time with Mordecai than with her. It wasn't that way on purpose, it just happened. And as a result, Maddie was simply closer to Mordecai than to Margaret. It was as simple as that.

"Well, maybe I can change that," Margaret mumbled. Putting the calculations and business notes back in her case, Margaret walked out of her office, and into the living room.

"Hey Maddie," Margaret said in a friendly tone. A head of purple feathers turned to look at her.

"Oh, hey Mom," Maddie replied.

"I was thinking, maybe you and I could go to the mall today," Margaret said, hoping her daughter would take the offer. After all, the mall was the best place to meet someone or to spend time with them.

"But we already bought new clothes for the school year," Maddie replied.

"We don't have to buy clothes, we don't have to buy anything even," said Margaret, "I'd just thought we'd hang out there and spend some time together."

Maddie thought about it. Normally she would've refused, but there didn't seem like a reason to today. They weren't trying on a bunch of clothes, and there was nothing else for Maddie to do at home. The young bird then remembered something her father had told her before leaving: Spend some time with your mom this weekend, okay?

Maybe a trip to the mall wouldn't be so bad, and it would only be a couple hours.

"Yeah, okay mom," Maddie finally replied, giving her a small smile, "It might be fun."

"Great," Margaret smiled back, "Well, let's go."

"Okay." Maddie turned off the tv, and followed her mom out the door to the red van.

()(()()()()()()()

The Twin Peaks mall wasn't very busy on a Sunday afternoon, so it was easy to find a parking space. In no time at all, the two girls were inside the mall.

"So, where do you want to go first?" Margaret asked. Maddie shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess we can walk around until we find something," Maddie replied.

"Okay." The two walked through the food court, and passed the theatre and a few stores that sold soap, hair accessories, purses and other various items. They continued walking past all the stores, since none of them seemed to interesting.

But then, just before they reached the escalators, Margaret spotted something she loved going to, and was certain her daughter would grow to love it just as much.

"Maddie, how about we go there?" Margaret asked, pointing at the small room. Maddie looked at her mother, confused.

"The manicure place?" Maddie asked. Why would they go there. To a ten year old, energentic, tomboy girl, it didn't look fun at all.

"I know it doesn't really seem like fun, but trust me, it's really nice and relaxing," Margaret said, trying to convince her daughter.

Maddie sighed. 'Guess I don't have much of a choice,' she thought. "Alright, let's go," Maddie said. The two walked inside and were immediantly greeted.

The worker was wearing a red vest with a name tag on it, and had long raven hair. "Hello," she said politely, "what can I do for you two?"

"Two mani-pedis please," Margaret replied, getting the money out of her purse. After she paid, the two were led to two chairs that were next to each other.

"So, what happens now?" Maddie asked, curious what she had gotten herself into.

"You just sit back and relax," Margaret answered. Two employees walked over to them. One walked over to Maddie, the other stood beside Margaret. They started getting out their tools, as well as a bowl of hot water and lotion.

The employee working on Maddie, a woman with short black hair, squirted some lotion onto Maddie's hands and began massaging them. It felt so strange to the young bird, and she had to fight the urge to pull her hands away. But after a while, it felt... nice.

After the hands, both employees moved on to the feet. When the cold lotion was put her foot, Maddie let out a surprised yelp. Margaret giggled a little.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." While the feet required more tools and more work, it was just as relaxing. As they got their pedicures, the two girls watched the tv up on the wall of the business, which was showing random music videos. Most of them were pretty entertaining.

Finally, the pedicures were finished, with each bird getting a little bit of nail polish on their feet as the finishing touch (Midnight blue for Maddie, and Rose Red for Margaret). Margaret gave them a tip, and then the two walked out the doors.

"So, how did you like your first mani-pedi?" Margaret asked.

"I guess it, wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," Maddie replied, a little embarrassed that she actually _liked _doing something girly, "But now my feet feel kinda weird when I walk."

"Yeah, it feels a little weird, but you get used to it," Margaret replied, remembering how her feet felt when she got her first pedicure.

After that, the girls walked to a few random stores -a sports store, a video game store, and a make-up store (guess which one Margaret wanted to go to)- they decided it was time for lunch. After all, it was almost one o'clock.

The two decided to eat at a Chinese place, and the food tasted delicious. They also talked a lot during lunch. It was mostly the normal things they talked about, but it was still a good conversation. There was never any awkward silences or moments when they wished the third member of the Quintel family was there. It was just a nice mother-daughter lunch.

While they were eating, a guy walked up to Margaret and flashed a cute smile. "Hey there," he said, still smiling despite the fact Margaret looked annoyed by him and Maddie was glaring at him, "So, you look like your kid look like you could use some company. Did I mention I'm great with kids."

Maddie was about ready to tell this guy off, but then stopped when she saw her mother smile back at this guy!

"Aw, that's so cute, pretending to ask a girl out," she said with a sarcastic tone, "Now why don't you guy try it with the real thing, a girl who _isn't _already married. Sound good?"

"Uh, yeah, uh," the man said, now flustered, "I, uh, Igottago!" And with that, he quickly walked off.

"Nice one, Mom," Maddie complemented, smiling at her mother.

"He was easy enough to deal with," Margaret replied, "No big deal." She had dealt with enough guys to know that despite the smooth-talking outside, they guy was really just trying whatever he could to get lucky, and though that no one could see through the cover up. One dose of reality, and he was out of there.

"You wouldn't have wanted to date him anyway, right Mom?" Maddie asked.

"Right," Margaret replied, "You're dad is the only one for me." She still couldn't believe how long it took her to realize that the sweet, kinda shy, nice guy who stopped by the coffee shop every day was the perfect guy for her. She almost felt a little guilty for making Mordecai wait that long.

"Because you guys fell in love when you first saw each other, right?" Margaret looked up.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Dad told me."

Margaret smiled and laughed a little. "Well, we were friends at first sight," Margaret explained, "but when we did fall in love, I knew it was right." Maddie smiled.

Their trays now empty, Margaret took them over to the trash and told her daughter she would be right back. So Maddie sat there, looking around at the mall surroundings. As she gazed around, her eyes fell on the movie theatre a couple stores away. A familiar trailer was playing on the tv above the theatre doors.

_Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the dining hall..._

_Zombie Dinner Party III_

Since Maddie knew the zombies were fake, she wasn't scared by the movie. In fact, she wanted to see the movie, especially since she and her dad had watched the 2nd ZBD movie together a few months ago on dvd. The movie was rated PG-13, so she would have to wait until her dad came home to ask if they could see the third movie together.

"Oh, they're making another one?" Maddie turned and saw her mother standing behind her, holding a small shopping bag. "Well, I guess they are pretty good movies."

"Wait, Mom, you like the Zombie Dinner Party movies?" Maddie asked, surprised.

"Well yeah," Margaret replied, "I know they're a little cliche, but they're still pretty good. Did you want to go see it? I think you watched the 2nd one, right?"

"Yeah, but," Maddie replied, still surprised, "but I didn't know you did. Usually when you and Eileen, Rigby or Dad go to the movies, you see one of those corny romantic comedy movies."

"Well, Eileen isn't really into horror," Margaret explained, "and while Rigby likes zombie movies, he gets a little freaked out by them too. As for your dad well, don't tell him I said this, but I think he likes the romantic comedies more than me."

Both girls giggled. "Well, if you like the zombie movies, then can we go see it. I think the next show's in fifteen minutes."

"Sure," replied Margaret, "It'll be a nice way to end the afternoon. Let's go!" Smiling, Maddie stood beside her mom, and they walked to the theatre together.

'Maybe we have more in common than I thought,' Maddie thought. She then remembered the mani-pedis. 'And, maybe I can learn to like some of the things she likes too.'

But then, Maddie remembered the bag. "What's in the bag, Mom?"

"Oh, just a little surprise for you," Margaret answered, "I'll show it to you when we're in the car."

"Oh, okay," Maddie replied. They both smiled as they walked through the theatre doors.

()()()()()()()()()

The bluejay put his key into the lock, and turned it, opening the door. "Hey girls, I'm home!" he shouted. But he didn't hear the running of his daughter's feet, or his wife's yell of "Mordecai, is that you?" It was just silence.

"Hello? Margaret? Maddie? You guys home?" Still no answer. "Where are they?"

Just then, Mordecai heard the sound of car doors slamming, and two familiar giggles. "I can't believe they've gotten even more fake looking than the last time I saw one of those movies!"

"I've never even seen the first one, and I could tell they've gotten worse. But at least the effects were better than the acting."

"Tell me about it!" The girls giggled again, but then noticed the open door and who was inside. "Mordecai!" Margaret said happily.

"Dad! You're back!" Maddie shouted in surprise. She happily ran over and gave him a hug.

"Hey Maddie," Mordecai replied, ruffling his daughter's hair, or at least he was going to, until he noticed the new item in her hair. "What's that?"

"It's something Mom bought me while we were at the mall," Maddie answered. After the movie and the two had gotten into the car, Margaret allowed Maddie to open her surprise.

The surprise turned out to be a blue colored, stretchy cloth headband with white spots on it, the same colors as her junior baseball uniform. "I know you didn't want to get your hair cut short," Margaret said, "And I know when you put your hat on, your hair is flattened to the front-" which made it hard for Maddie to see sometimes- "So I thought this would help pull your hair back. You could wear it under you cap, and it matches your uniform. Plus, it's barely noticable."

"Huh," Maddie said, looking at the headband. Margaret helped put it in, and then Maddie looked at her new look through the side mirror.

It looked a little weird, but honestly, she didn't look super weird or super girly. She just looked like Maddie. Maddie smiled, and then looked over at her mom. "Thanks," she had said.

After talking with Mordecai about his weekend and their trip to the mall, Maddie had went to her room. There was an IM waiting for her on her computer.

_Salyerman226: Maddie, where are you? You wanna talk?_

Maddie sat down and typed a reply. _BaseBallBirdGirl: I thought you were camping Robbie._

_*Bing!* We were, but Dad got stung by a bunch of wasps, so we had to go home early. Don't worry, Mom's taking care of him. So, where were you all day?_

_Mom and I went to the mall. We ate lunch, went to the movies, and looked at stores, and we also got medi-pedis. Strange thing is, I liked it._

_*Bing!* ...Who are you and wears the real Maddie?_

_Lol. Don't worry though, I'm not gonna become a super girly girl._

As Maddie sent her message, she couldn't help but think, 'Although, maybe next time we have to go to the mall, I'll come along too. I guess spending time with Mom, can be just as fun as spending it with Dad.'

"Who knew?" Maddie said, with a small smile before reading the reply message.

**Sorry if this chapter was kinda boring to all my male readers. So, next chapter will be the kids' first day of Middle School. What surprises await them? You'll just have to read to find out :) Please review, and I'll see you next time!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hope this is a good chapter. I was kinda stuck on how to do it for a while. Anyway, enjoy! ^-^ Also, to all the people who are wondering if Robbie and Maddie will ever become boyfriend and girlfriend: No comment. I really don't want to spoil anything, so for now I'm going to say they'll stay friends for the whole story. Whatever type of friends they will be (good, best or boy/girl-friends), you'll just have to wait and see :) On to the chapter!**

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

The young bird groaned. Stretching out her violet wing, she hit the snooze button for the 2nd time that morning. Maddie knew any minute now one of her parents would make her get up, but she just wanted to enjoy her last few moments of summer, and of sleeping in. For being such an active girl, she was the heaviest sleeper out of her whole family.

"Maddie, you need to get up now," she heard her mother call, "and I mean right now."

"Okay, I'm getting up," Maddie replied, lifting the soft pillow off her head. The girl got up, stretched, and then started to get dressed. She had taken out her clothes the night before: a pair of tan jeans, a light blue shirt, and the headband her mom had bought her a week earlier.

"Hey kiddo," Mordecai greeted as his daughter walked into the kitchen.

"Hey Dad, hey Mom," she replied, sitting down in front of a plate of warmed up, frozen french toast. She began to eat the delicious breakfast, and was nearly finished with them in only a few minutes. Her parents definitely knew how to make frozen food taste good.

"Excited for your first day of Middle School?" Margaret asked as she sat down with a mug of hot coffee.

"Well, it's school and it's a Monday, so there's kinda a limit on how excited I can be," Maddie replied, "but yeah, I guess it's kinda cool that I'm going to the middle school now. The cafeteria's supposed to be a lot bigger, and have better food,-"

Mordecai let out a laugh, but was quickly silenced.

"- and we get to choose a couple of our classes this year. I chose an art class, Robbie chose Spanish class, and we both chose the class you guys told us about, Mythology and Superstitions."

Both adult birds smiled. "So, you took our advice," Mordecai said, before taking a sip of coffee.

"Yeah, but why'd you want us to take it?" Maddie asked, "I mean, what's so special about it, I mean, except that it's a new class."

"Oh, no reason," Margaret replied. But both birds continued to smile, as if it were an inside joke. Maddie looked at her parents suspiciously. "Shouldn't you be heading to the bus stop, sweetie?"

"Oh, right!" Maddie took her plate to the sink, grabbed her lunch money off the kitchen counter, and then grabbed her bookbag and left, but not before giving her parents a hug goodbye.

Since the Middle School was farther away than the Elementary School, the kids couldn't walk or ride their bikes there. So, they were forced to take the bus. But luckily, they could at least sit together.

"Hey Robbie!" Maddie greeted as she arrived at the corner that connected the path to Maddie's and the path to Robbie's, which also happened to be the bus stop.

"Hey Maddie," Robbie replied. He was wearing dark blue jeans and a dark green jacket. It may've been early fall, but it was still chilly in the mornings. Maddie also snickered a little at the raccoon's combed hair (most likely styled by his mother), making it look totally different from his usual hairstyle that looked like his dad's. The young raccoon pushed his glasses up a little, and smiled back at his lifelong friend.

Maddie noticed the paper bag Robbie was holding. "Decided to brown bag it today?" Maddie asked.

"Not taking any chances until I know what they actually serve there," replied Robbie.

"Probably a good idea," commented Maddie, "Can you believe we're in Middle School already? I wonder how much different it'll be."

"Well, what ever it's like, we can probably handle it no problem," said Robbie, confident and perhaps a bit cocky (guess who he got that from).

"Yeah. I mean, we did fight giant lemonade monsters and escape a crowd of angry middle school... oh crap." On the first day of summer vacation, Maddie and Robbie had shut down the middle schoolers secret black market. Probably something they wouldn't be too happy about, and the perfect reason to bully.

"Well, they're middle schoolers, they probably won't even remember," said Robbie.

"Yeah, you're right," said Maddie, smiling again.

Just then, they heard a puff of smoke, and a yellow, metal bus pulled up. The old doors opened, and the bus driver told them to get on.

"Here we go," Maddie said to her raccoon friend.

"Hm hm," replied Robbie. The two stepped on the bus, and it drove towards the middle school.

()()()()()()()()()

The middle school wasn't too different than the elementary school, it was just bigger. Bigger halls, bigger lockers, bigger building, and bigger crowds to walk through.

"Whoever thought of cramming four elementary schools into one middle school is an idiot," Maddie commented.

"Yeah, but at least we'll have plenty of room in our lockers," added Robbie. Since he was a raccoon, he liked having his own little territory, whether that was his bedroom at home or his locker at school.

Suddenly, both kids felt a hand push them. Maddie's bookbag was knocked out of her wings and her books spilled onto the floor, while Robbie was slammed shoulder first into one of the green, metal lockers.

"Out of the way, newbies!" Mikey shouted with a satisfied smile, "Eighth graders get hallway space!" The green, chubby middle schooler laughed as he walked away, while the two friends glared at him.

"Well, at least we only have to deal with him for a year," said Robbie, rubbing his shoulder.

"That's still a year too many," Maddie retorted. She got down on her knees and began picking up her things. As she placed her hand on a notebook, and human hand was placed over hers.

"Oh, sorry," said a voice. Maddie looked up. In front of her was an average looking, human middle school boy. He had strawberry blonde hair, and looked like a nice guy. He smiled at her, and handed her the notebook.

"Uh, thanks," Maddie said, giving the boy a small smile. Standing up, the boy was about half a head taller than her.

"No problem," he replied, "sorry about that guy, I had to deal with him last year."

Maddie rolled her eyes. "I've had to deal with him my whole life. His parents know mine, so I have to know him."

"Guess that doesn't help much, does it," he asked.

"Nope."

"Well, still, I hope he doesn't pick on you too much," he said. He smiled again. "I'm Aaron by the way."

"Maddie," Maddie replied, giving a more friendly smile.

"Nice to meet you," Aaron replied, "I guess I should get to my class." He handed Maddie the rest of her books. "I'll see you around, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, I'll see you, later," Maddie said. Aaron waved goodbye, and then continued walking down the hall.

"Hmm," Maddie said to herself.

"Aww, I'm proud of you, Maddie," Robbie said. Maddie looked down at her friend, who had a smirk on his face.

"What do you mean by that?" Maddie asked, scowling a little.

"You're finally showing your girly side," Robbie answered. He then raised his voice so he could sound like Maddie. "Oh Aaron, thank you for helping me! Can you walk me to my class too, holding hands of course!"

"Shut up!" Maddie growled, "he's just a nice guy that might be my friend."

"Sure, if that's true why are you blushing?"

"I'm not blushing you little rat!" Maddie shouted, "and by the way, don't you have class you have to get to before a get out a bat and send you there myself?" The kids had seperate first hour classes, but had 2nd, 3rd, 4th, Lunch, Gym, and 7th together.

"I'm going, I'm going," Robbie said, laughing. Both friends turned away from each other and began walking the opposite way. "Mrs. Aaron!" Robbie yelled over his shoulder.

Maddie turned on her heal and began chasing the laughing raccoon through the halls.

()()()()()()()()

2nd period, Math, came around. Maddie and Robbie both sat in the desks next to each other, the teasing and chasing (and squirting with cold water from the fountain on a certain raccoon) now long forgotten. Like their dads and even to an extent the employees at the park they considered family, teasing was just a part of their relationship, it never meant any harm and was usually forgotten and forgiven an in hour.

"How was Spanish?" Maddie asked.

"Okay, but it's hard to understand the teacher's accent. What about you?" Robbie asked.

"Same, but it's more of a 'do-busy-work-while-teacher-naps' kinda class," replied Maddie.

"Isn't that what most below high school classes are?" Maddie didn't get a chance to reply, because she was interrupted by the slamming of a door. Their math teacher had just walked in.

"Okay students," said the middle aged man, "how about we do a little review, see if most of you are where you're supposed to be." He said that as if he were teaching a class of idiots in a class meant for special advanced students. The man began writing long algerbra equations on the chalkboard. Nearly every head in the classroom had an invisible question mark above their heads.

"He has to be joking," Maddie whispered.

"Maybe this is just a repeat of kindergarden," Robbie replied, "maybe any minute now, the real teacher will walk in." Both kids looked at the door. After two minutes, no one had come in. "Dang it," they said in unison.

Forty five minutes later, the two kids as well as the rest of the class, left the classroom with a headache.

"Well, I know what's going to be my favorite class this year," Maddie said sarcastically.

()()()()()()()()()

After 3rd period English, it was lunch time. "So far, almost everything smells just as bad as the Elementary school food," Robbie said, his sensitive, scavenger's nose twitching. He walked over to a plate of what looked like grey casserole, and the dish growled at him. "But I would probably stay away from that one."

"No need to tell me twice," Maddie replied. Instead, she grabbed a pre-made roast beef sandwich, a bag of pretzels, and an apple.

Since most of the middle schoolers remembered the first day of summer, it was almost impossible for the kids to find a table they would be allowed to sit at. But eventually, they were invited to sit a table consisting of fellow sixth graders: a human girl, a weasel boy, and a couple other random kids.

"Thanks," they said as they sat down.

"No problem," replied the weasel boy, whose name was Greg.

As Maddie opened up her sandwich, she felt something cold and wet hit the back of her head. Peeling it off, she discovered it was the peel-off lid of a yogurt cup. Robbie got hit too, only with a banana peel. They looked and saw a group of middle schoolers they recognized from the secret underground middle school market. Some were laughing at the two animals, others were scowling at them.

"It's only the first day of school and you two already made the older kids mad?" the blonde girl, Kimi, asked, "What did you guys do?"

"It's a long story," Robbie said, "but don't worry, we'll be fine."

"Yeah, don't worry about us," added Maddie.

"Well, just watch your backs in gym today," said Greg, "since it's the first day of school, the gym teachers do this 'unifying the classes' activity by having the older students go up against the older students."

"What sport do they play?" Maddie asked. Greg told them. He would've thought they would be worried, but instead, Maddie and Robbie just smiled. "We'll be fine," they said.

Just then, Maddie felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Aaron walking past her. "Hey," he said with that kind smile.

"Oh, Hey Aaron!" Maddie replied, smiling and sitting up a little bit straighter without even realizing it. Aaron gave her a small wave, and continued walking to his table. Once he left, Robbie started laughing. Maddie gave him a death glare, but it didn't bother the raccoon at all. So, she stuffed her sandwich in his mouth to silence him.

"Aw gross! I hate sandwices with mayo!" Robbie shouted.

"I know," Maddie said with a smile. Robbie glared at her and gave her a shove, but Maddie just giggled and shoved right back.

()()()()()()()()()()()

The game they played in gym was a game as old as playgrounds and gym classes themselves. The stinging rubber, the struggle of survival, the humiliation of losing. This game was not for the weak of heart. It's name: dodgeball.

But this was no problem, thanks to Maddie's excellent pitching and Robbie's great speed. Maddie would stay in the back while Robbie stayed in front. Nothing could hit him, and he was quick to gather up the rubber dodgeballs and roll them to Maddie.

The purple bird was merciless in her throws. Everything she aimed for, she hit. There were even times when there was no way she could hit a player, but she would simply throw the ball at a wall and it would bounce back and hit the player.

By the end of the class, Maddie and Robbie were the only ones left standing. The seventh and eighth graders were stunned, and badly bruised, both their bodies and their egos.

"Well, I don't think they'll bother us anymore," Robbie said with a smile.

"Or they'll just be twice as mad for losing against us," Maddie retorted, "but hey, totally worth it, right?"

"Definitely!" This had been the first time the sixth graders had ever beaten the seventh and eighth graders. It was totally worth a little teasing. The sixth graders all cheered as they left the gym. "Okay, so next is our last class of the day, Mythology and Superstitions."

"Hmm," Maddie said, "my parents were acting weird when I mentioned that class this morning. I wonder what'll happen in it."

"Probably just some old guy showing us old story books," said Robbie. When the two arrived at the room, they discovered they were half right. The teacher was old, but he wasn't just 'some old guy'.

"Skips!" they said happily in unison.

The old yeti, who was still wearing his normal blue jeans but was also wearing a brown jacket and a tie, looked up at the kids. He gave them a small smile.

"That's why our parents wanted us to take this class," Robbie said, "because you're teaching it!"

"But, why are you teaching a class, Skips?" Maddie asked, "Did Maellard fire you?" She already knew Benson would never fire him.

"Nah, I just figured since things had really slowed down at the park ever since your dads had left, I'd get myself a new hobby," Skips answered.

Truth be told, back when Skips was in his pack, he'd help teach the younger yetis. He was a born storyteller, and was very wise. Centuries later, when Skips had started working at the park, he'd sometimes tell kids random bits of information to kids who asked, and would even help lead nature hikes if asked by Pops.

The old yeti had figured teaching something he knew all about would help pass the time, and with the kids in middle school now, he would get to spend some time with them too. It had taken a couple years to get the school board to accept the class, but now, it was another job Skips could add to his list of experiences in his lifetime.

Groups of students started pouring into the classroom, so Maddie and Robbie sat down. When the bell rang, Skips skipped up to the front of the room.

"Okay kids," Skips started to say, "You can leave out the Mr. stuff, just call me Skips. In this class, I'm going to teach you all about magical elements, dark magic, superstitions, and basically everything in between."

"So what, you're going to be like our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" a boy in the back joked. Some of the other students chuckled. But Skips didn't even glare at the kid, he just stayed stoick until they finished laughing.

"First off, those books aren't accurate what so ever," Skips said, "and second, I'm only going to teach you about magic and dark arts." He gave a small smirk. "Defendin' yourself against them is something you learn on the job." The kid stayed silent.

Skips then skipped up to the black board, and began to draw a cloud kingdom. He then drew five small, pudgy round figures. Maddie and Robbie smiled. Skips then began to give a lecture on a legend both the two friends and himself knew all too well: The Guardians of Youth.

When the class ended, Maddie and Robbie waved goodbye at Skips, telling him they would talk to him later, and walked towards the front entrance. "Okay, I think we've found our favorite class," Robbie said without a hint of sarcasm.

"I couldn't agree more."

()()()()()()()()()

"Rigby, I said keep your paws off my grilled cheese!"

"But yours is bigger than mine was, just give me one bite Benson! I'm starving!"

"Maybe if you didn't eat your sandwich so fast you'd feel like you actually ate something."

"Stop talking!"

As was the first day of school tradition ever since 1st grade, the entire park family was at Cheesers for supper. Mordecai, Margaret, Maddie, Rigby, Eileen and Robbie all sat at one booth, and pushed up against the booth was a table where Pops, Benson and Skips sat. Muscleman, Starla, their three kids and High Five Ghost sat in the booth behind them.

Both kids shared their day at school with their family, and finished just before their tray of delicious grilled cheeses arrived. The arguing across the dinner table, the random dinner conversations, Muscleman's 'My mom' and Mikey's 'My Grandma' jokes, Pops' random giggling, and the small fights between Mordecai and Rigby and/or Maddie and Robbie. All this made for just another regular family dinner.

With a lot of energy left, Maddie and Robbie decided to head out to the playground outside Cheesers, which was made out of dismantled and disabled space crafts. The two friends climbed up the giant rocket ship and looked out over the town.

"Not bad for a first day, huh?" Maddie asked.

"Other than getting banana in my hair and that weirdo math teacher, it was a pretty good first day," Robbie replied.

"Yeah," Maddie smiled. But then, her smile fell. "Do you think we'll do this on every first day of school? You know, have everyone eat at Cheesers and then play on the space playground?"

"Well, we've been doing this for the past five years," said Robbie, "but I guess it can change. I mean, no one lives forever, and high schoolers playing on a playground might look a little weird."

Maddie giggled a little. "Well, even if all of us can't eat supper together, and if we become too old to play on playgrounds, we should still come here on every first day of school. I mean, it is a tradition worth continuing."

"Yeah, the grilled cheese sandwiches here are awesome!" said Robbie. Both kids laughed.

The kids continued playing the rest of the night, chasing each other until they finally got tired, and then sat outside the restaurant and watched the sun go down. all in all, it was a good way to start their middle school career.

"One day down," Maddie said, "and about a hundred and fifty more to go."

**Hope this wasn't too boring. I originally wasn't going to have Skips be a teacher, but I figured it would work here. I was kinda planning a fanfic where all the park workers were human teenagers and attending an acadamy, and Skips would be the teacher helping them defend against magical elements and monsters around the school (basically Harry Potter). But I liked this better, and now, I can still have the usual weird creatures and irregular adventures with the kids even though they're in school.**

**Tomorrow I've got finals, so wish me luck! I'll try to update either before Christmas or if not, the first day after Christmas. Please review, and have a happy holidays :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**57 reviews! Ohhhhh! Seriously, thank you all so much for the support. I didn't think anyone would read this, now not only is it my most successful Regular Show fanfic, but it's also a fanfic that I've really enjoyed writing, it's been a while. I'm hoping I'll continue to get ideas and continue writing this story. Again, thank you all so much!**

**Also, art of Maddie and Robbie is up on my deviantart page. My name is Mordyfan13, so just google it and you should be able to find it. More art should be coming soon. Now enough of the intro: Onto the new chapter! **

It was four weeks into the middle school year. Because of budget cuts, Football and Basketball were in autumn, and Track and Baseball/softball were in spring. So, at least now Maddie and Robbie had more free time on their hands.

Or so they thought.

While they knew that all of their teachers (including Skips) would give them homework, their math teacher gave them about half a night's worth! The kids couldn't believe it. By the time they got just their math homework done, it was almost supper time.

So, during the week, free time was out of the question. Fortunately, their teachers gave quizzes on Fridays, or if they didn't, there would at least be no homework. Which meant free weekends, which were filled with video games, staying up late, watching movies, and everything else important to a kid.

The life of a Middle Schooler was tiring at first, but by the 2nd week of September, it was all routine. But as Robbie was walking out of his first period class, he noticed something on the bulletin board. It would disrupt their routine, but it had to be done. After all, he had a promise to keep.

"Hey Robbie!" Maddie greeted as she saw her friend in their next class.

"Hey," Robbie replied with a small, suspicious smile.

"What?" Maddie asked, "What's so funny?"

"Oh, nothing," Robbie replied, sitting down. He began to fish something out of his pocket. "Say Maddie, do you remember last summer, in the basement?"

"Yeah," Maddie replied slowly, "we went down there to get rid of your fear of the dark, and we ended up fighting that giant hairball monster. What, is your Spanish teacher using it as a toupee?"

"Do you remember the deal we made?" Robbie asked, ignoring the comment. The bird's eyes widened slightly.

"Robbie..."

The raccoon placed a pink piece of paper on Maddie's desk. It read 'Monday, 9/17/11 (next Monday) auditions for school play! Everyone is encouraged to come and audition'.

"No way!"

"Maddie," Robbie started to say, "it's just a school play."

"Which means it's probably something lame, and the whole school will see it," Maddie started to explain, looking a little frantic, "which means if I wear something lame, or I'm off key, or if I screw up, or-or... forget it! I'm not doing it!"

"We made a deal! I let you do whatever you want to get rid of my fear, and I do the same."

"Can't I just sing in front of a bunch of people at the park?" Maddie asked, thinking quickly of the bi-weekly shows set up at the park where a couple people would perform for the park guests.

"You know just as well as I do that no one goes to those," Robbie replied. Maddie glared at her friend and looked away.

"I don't care, we'll find something else for me to do." Maddie said, putting her foot down.

"I...Ialreadysignedyouup," Robbie said quickly and quietly, but Maddie could still understand him.

"What!" she screeched, quickly getting the attention of all this kids in the room. She hit his arm, but Robbie was expecting that (but that didn't mean that it didn't hurt).

"If I didn't, you never would've signed up for it!" Robbie replied, discreetly moving his desk a couple inches away from the very mad bird.

"Robbie! You little...you're such a...gah!" Frusterated and mad, the bird put her head on her desk, trying to keep herself from completely exploding at her friend.

"Look, I know you're mad at me, but I know you want to get rid of your secret fear just as bad as I wanted to get rid of mine," Robbie started to say, still keeping a safe distance, "and just think what happens if you don't get rid of your stage fright. You said you wanted to be a pro baseball player, what happens if you play in a giant stadium with a ton of tv cameras."

Maddie stayed silent. "Or what if you're in a game, and they ask you to sing the anthem?"

She sat up a little. "I'll, ask the bat boy?"

Robbie gave her a look. "You'll give one of the biggest honors a guy could get, to a bat boy?"

Maddie was now sitting all the way up, but still looked defeated. She gave a sigh/groan that reminded Robbie of Mordecai, and then she said, "Fine. I'll dothe stupid audition."

Robbie smiled. "Hm hm," he said.

"But! I'm not going to audition for the lead role," Maddie said.

"I'm pretty sure the lead is a guy, but okay," Robbie agreed. And with that, the bell rang, and their 2nd class of the day began.

()()()()()()()()()()

Robbie was sitting on a folding chair, reading a story about the moon getting hit with an asteroid. All around him were random kids, each holding papers and preparing for their audition. After an hour of waiting, the raccoon was starting to get annoyed and antsy, even with a good book to read.

"Robbie!" Robbie jumped, and looked. He saw his friend standing behind him, looking almost sick. He pushed his glasses up his nose.

"What? Did you audition yet?" Robbie asked.

"No, I'm up next," Maddie replied.

"Great!" Now they could go home. "How do you feel?"

"Like I'm gonna throw up," Maddie answered. Robbie backed away a little.

"Look, just relax, you said it was just a lame school play. So it's not like they're expecting broadway-quality auditions. So just relax," Robbie said. Maddie gave him a glare. "What?"

"Nothing," Maddie answered. She walked away, and Robbie just shrugged it off and went back to his book. Maddie walked up to a group of girls, recognizing Kimi in the group.

"So, do you think she'll get the part?" a seventh grade girl asked, "I mean, we do have a new teacher this year."

"The teacher would have to be insane not to pick her!" an eight grade girl in the group answered.

"Pick who?" Kimi asked before Maddie could.

"You don't know because you're a sixth grader," the eight grader started to say, "but for the past three years, the lead in every play and musical has gone to Taylor."

"Wait, three years? How is that possible?" Maddie asked.

"She was in her first play in fifth grade," the seventh grader started to explain, "It was a middle schoolers only play, but she convinced them to let her audition. She immediantly got the part. The teacher always picked her without a second thought. But this year she retired, and now there's a new teacher. But Taylor will probably still be picked."

"It's weird," the eight grader started to say, "every year before, she insisted on auditioning last. Saving the 'best' for last I guess. But this year, she went when her name was called, as if she knew no one here would be the best."

"Wow, she doesn't sound self-absorbed at all," Maddie said sarcastically. Suddenly, the red curtains opened a little, and a figure walked through. She was a red fox, with long, straight black hair. She wore a grey sweater and tan pants, a very colorless outfit. The only color she had, besides her fur, was a gold chain necklace. Hanging on the necklace, was a yellowish-greenish oval. It looked almost as if the colors were swirling, but that couldn't be. It had to be a trick of the light.

The fox looked up at Maddie. They stared at each other for a moment, not moving a muscle. Surprising to Maddie, the girl didn't look like the typical mean girl. Her eyes weren't cold or judging, they were a calm brown. After another moment, she smiled at Maddie and walked away. But Maddie kept staring.

"Madeline Quintel!"

"Huh? Wha?" Maddie said, snapping out of her daze.

"Maddie, you're on!" Kimi said, giving her a small push. Maddie gulped, and walked onto the stage.

The weekend before, Robbie had gotten the script for Maddie, and the two had practiced together. But about halfway through a (very boring) practice, Robbie started saying the lines in a funny voice, making Maddie laugh. She did the same, and soon enough, the original script was abandoned and the two friends made up their own. It was a lot of fun, but Maddie couldn't remember any play lines! Fortunately, from listening to the other auditions, it looked like it was just a singing audition.

"Step into the light please," the teacher, a young woman, said. Maddie squeezed her sheet of music, and took a couple steps forward into the hot beam of light. The music started playing throughout the auditorium. Maddie took a deep breath, and started singing.

"Very good, excellent," the teacher said, writing something down, "Remember to come back tomorrow morning to hear the results. You may leave." As soon as Maddie passed through the curtains, she was surrounded by Kimi and Robbie.

"So, how'd you do?" Kimi asked.

"I, she said I did good," Maddie answered, in a bit of a daze. She could barely remember what she just did.

"Great! See, told you it was no big deal," Robbie said with a smile. Getting her senses back, Maddie glared at the raccoon.

"I'm still mad at you," she answered.

"Aw, seriously?" Robbie shouted, "Come on, Maddie!" The bird gave a small smirk, and the two walked towards the exit, Robbie still shouting. Kimi smiled and shook her head. She had only known the two friends for a month. She had seen several fights between them, but she could also see how close they were. "It's almost as if they love to hate each other," she commented.

()()()()()()()()()()()

The next day, Robbie had walked to school alone since Maddie had to be taken early. It didn't really matter though, they could talk to each other the rest of the day. As soon as Robbie entered the math room, the air got heavy. Maddie was in her desk, looking depressed and worried at the same time.

"What happened?" Robbie asked. Maddie didn't answer, only glared. "Did you fail the audition?"

"No," Maddie answered dryly, "I got the lead."

She thought back to that morning. The teacher was announcing the leads, several boys and two girls (the play was something called Bugsy Malone). The background characters and roles with only a couple lines would be posted on a door after the announcments. When the teacher got to the role of Blousy Brown, Maddie noticed a small, knowing smile on the fox's face.

"Madeline Quintel!" All the girls gasped and started whispering. The smile on the fox's face dissappeared, and Maddie was frozen stiff. "Please come up here, dear," the teacher said. Maddie took a few small steps forward.

"For Blousy's understudy and the role of Blousy in the elementary school performance (the play had three shows: one for the elementary school, one for the middle school, and one night performance), Taylor Volpes."

The fox girl stepped onto the stage, right next to Maddie. She didn't even look mad. "W-wait, Ms. Tara, why didn't you give Taylor the part?" Maddie asked.

"Oh sweetheart," Ms. Tara started to say, "you may be knew, but you have a, a certain spark to you that just needs to be brought out and I assure you, you'll give a brilliant performance!"

Maddie wanted to protest, but she knew she would just be ignored. So, reluctantly, she stood on the stage until the names were all called. At the end, she was about to leave when Taylor stopped her.

"So, you're Madeline?" she asked, looking her over.

"Uh, you can call me Maddie," Maddie replied. The girl stared at her in a non-threatening way and then, surprisingly, gave her a smile. Not a fake smile, but a nice, 100 percent geniune smile.

"Well Maddie, I say we should work together, get that 'spark' out of you. After all, it makes sense to work together, we are both playing Blousy. Kay?"

"uh, sure?" Maddie said a little creeped out. But nevertheless, she returned the smile.

"Great! I'll see you at rehearsal then!" and with that, Taylor walked away, her necklace swaying as she walked.

"Huh," Maddie had said to herself before leaving the stage. It was then it hit her that for two out of three shows, she would be playing a main character role, one with a ton of lines to remember and songs to sing.

"So, you've got the lead girl role?" Robbie asked. Maddie nodded, groaning a little. "Well, you know what they say, 'Sometimes the only way to face your fear, is to face it head on'," he said, remembering Maddie's exact words.

"...Remind me to kill you later."

()()()()()()()()()()()()

For the next few weeks, play practice took up most of Maddie's free time. Practices were Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and usually lasted until 7:30. Fortunately, their math teacher was apparently a huge play and musical lover, so he drastically lowered Maddie's amount of homework assignments durning practice days.

"I wish I was in the play too," Robbie commented when he heard this. Maddie hit him.

As much as the young bird would rather be playing baseball, playing video games or hanging out with Robbie and her friends, Maddie had to admit practices weren't that bad. The play itself, despite being a little corny, was funny. Her character's lines weren't too hard to remember, and the song was nice and easy. Maybe it wasn't so bad. But there were time Maddie definitely felt out of her element.

For one thing, there were a few people in set designs that were, to put it simply, weird. One day, since she was taking a break from practicing, Maddie decided to talk to them. The set design group was a team of three, two human girls and a bear boy.

"Hi," she said to one of the humans, one with curly blonde hair. She looked up, and gave Maddie a smile and a small wave. "Do you need some help with that?" They were painting a set that looked like an office room. The blonde shook her head. "Oh, well okay. So, um, how do you like working in set design?"

The blonde looked up, almost sad, and placed a hand to her throat while slowly shaking her head. "Oh! I'm sorry!" Maddie said, figuring out that the blonde couldn't talk. But the girl simply gave her a smile, as if to say that it was okay, and went back to work. She noticed that she was starting to run low on paint, so she tapped the shoulder of the bear boy.

"Yeah Sarah?" he asked. Sarah pointed at the shelf with paint cans on it, and then at the color she was using. "Sure, I'll get another can for ya." The bear stood up, and gave a small sigh. He began walking forward, but could only drag his feet forward, as if his feet were made of lead.

'What's wrong with his feet?' Maddie thought. "Maddie!" Maddie looked up and saw Taylor. There was the weirdest one of them all. Taylor was nice, almost too nice. Maddie thought it was all an act, but it all seemed so genuine that it could be fake. This girl, despite all her help, confused Maddie and made her a little paranoid.

'I'm starting to think like Robbie and Rigby,' Maddie thought with a smile as she stood up. Taylor was just a nice girl, there was nothing to worry about. As she walked towards the fox girl, she accidently bumped the third person on the set design team. "Oh! Sorry about that," Maddie said quickly.

The girl looked up at Maddie with dead eyes. She was wearing all black and had long brown hair. In her hair were rainbow highlights, but they were extremely faded. Even her skin seemed grey. Without a word, the girl went back to her painting.

"Um, okay then," Maddie said. Without another word, she walked over to Taylor.

One week later, they ran their final dress rehearsal. It was Thursday, but Ms. Tara had scheduled an extra practice. Tomorrow, it was show time!

"Excellent work everyone!" the teacher praised, "Especially you Maddie, I knew that spark would come out eventually."

Maddie gave a small, bashful smile. "Well, I had some help." She looked towards the wings, where Taylor would usually be standing. But she was no where to be found. 'Huh, that's weird,' the bird thought.

"Enjoy your evening students!" Ms. Tara concluded. Maddie smiled. She definitely would.

To celebrate the play, Maddie, her family and Robbie's family had been invited to the park for a spaghetti dinner with Pops' homemade cookies for dessert. Skips wouldn't be there, he had something to do in the forest. When the kids asked about it, Skips simply said, "You'll learn about it in class next Tuesday."

So, Maddie and Robbie were just sitting in front of the tv while the adults were in the kitchen. "So, tomorrow's your big performance," Robbie said, "You nervous?"

"I'll probably be a lot nervous tomorrow, but right now, I feel fine," Maddie replied, "I guess it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

"Hm hm."

"Shut up," Maddie replied while Robbie laughed, "And just because I liked it doesn't mean I'll do it again. The next musical isn't until Spring, and that's baseball season, so I'll be doing that."

"At least you won't be afraid of playing in front of crowds," Robbie mentioned.

"Yeah, yeah," Maddie said. She was quiet. "Hey Robbie, thanks."

"We had a deal remember," replied Robbie, "besides, I needed my revenge for the basement thing."

"So you did make me do the play for revenge, not just to get rid of my stage fright?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't," Robbie replied with a smirk. Maddie hit him. "Ow! What was that for!"

"For making me do the play."

"But you just thanked me for it!" Robbie let out a frusterated groan. "Dad's right, girls are crazy!"

"Uh, I never said that!" Rigby shouted from the kitchen, not wanting to get in trouble with any of the girls in the house. But everyone just laughed, and soon it was dinner time.

"Oh Maddie, I can't wait to see you in the musical tomorrow evening!" Pops said, "I'm sure you'll be wonderful." Maddie blushed a little.

"Thanks Pops," she replied before taking a bite of a meatball.

"You know, both your father and Rigby used to be in show business too," Pops continued, "they used to be in a two man ensemble."

"It was a band, Pops," Rigby corrected.

"Yeah, it only lasted a day," added Mordecai, "except for that time when we had to write that crappy song to defeat the summertime song."

"So that's why you guys have those band shirts with your names on them," Maddie said.

"It wasn't just that, they are also quite the poets," Pops said. Both Mordecai and Rigby looked up.

"Uh Pops, maybe we should talk about something else," Mordecai suggested.

"Wait wait wait, you guys recite _poetry_?" Benson asked in disbelief, "Where was I when you did this?"

"I believe you had the day off, my good man," Pops replied trying to remember, "We were in a poetry competition as a team, and these two had wonderful poems!"

Everyone at the table giggled while the bluejay and older raccoon shrank in their chairs. "Pops, that's enough," Rigby said.

"And they even wore the outfits I bought them for the occasion," Pops added proudly.

"Wait, you mean that green, shakespearean outfit in your closet?" Benson asked.

"That's the one!"

That did it. Everyone at the table bursted out laughing. Mordecai and Rigby groaned. There was no way they were ever going to live this down.

()()()()()()()()()(()

The elementary school performance was a huge success. Taylor had played her role perfectly. Everyone, including Maddie, clapped when she took a bow.

But now it was 1:30, almost time for the middle school performance. Maddie was shaking. The audience was full of people, it didn't matter if she knew who they were or not. Just knowing that she would be performing in front of almost five hundred people mader her sick to her stomach. She also had a feeling if she did anything to ruin the play, her math teacher would triple her homework. That sadistic, twisted old-...

"How do you feel?" Robbie asked. He had snuck back stage to check on his friend.

"I-I-... I can't do this." Maddie said.

"Yes, you can! Dude, this is just a school play. You hit a homerun when you were seven, you defeated monsters and helped saved the park at least half a dozen times this year alone. If you can do these things, you can do a crappy school play."

Maddie looked at him, and got determined. This was just another game, another obstacle. "Okay, thanks Robbie."

"No problem," Robbie replied.

"Hey, Maddie!" Both kids turned around, and saw Taylor walking towards them, a frown on her face. She was still in her Blousy outfit, only she now had her gold necklace on.

"Hey Taylor," Maddie replied, "Uh, why are you still in your costume?"

"Can you follow me for a minute?" Taylor asked, her face stoick.

"Uh, sure." Maddie started walking behind the fox girl. She told Robbie she would be back in a bit. The girls walked past the sets, the props, and the multiple curtains, until they were in the back room of the auditorium, where they kept the mops and brooms.

"Um, what are we doing here?" Maddie asked, "The play starts in five minutes and..."

"Just shut up." Maddie blinked. But instead of getting scared, she scowled.

"Excuse me, what was that?"

"You must think that this 'crappy play' is all fun. Well it's not, it's hard work! I've worked hard for four years of my life, and I've gotten every lead role. I'm not giving this one up to a tomboy pigeon."

Now Maddie was mad. "I'm a bluejay," she snapped. Well half bluejay, but that didn't matter. "So what, you're going to trap me in her and take my place?"

"No, you would be too easy to find," Taylor answered, "and once you talked, I would get in trouble. Besides, what good would it do? According to Ms. Tara, you would still be the best. So, I'm simply going to take what you have, once again making me the best."

"You're insane!" Maddie shouted, "What do you mean, take what I have? You're nuts! Look, I don't even care about the stupid play, I'll give you the part or whatever, but frankly you don't deserve it!"

Taylor chuckled. Her hair began to float up, no longer straight and neat. Her eyes were now yellow like a cat's, and her necklace glowed. Maddie felt herself start to pale. "Don't worry, the others were resistant too, but once I take your 'spark', you'll forget all about this. Though, you may feel a bit dead." She smiled an evil smile. "I'm sure that won't be a problem."

The others? Maddie gasped. "The design crew, you took their talents away too!"

"Wow, and I thought that rat you hung out with was the smart one," Taylor replied dryly, "But yes. Whatever the talent whether it be a strong and beautiful singing voice, some fancy footwork, or the ability to show genuine emotion no matter what the scene ('So that's why she could fool me so easily' Maddie thought) it all made them better than me. But I took care of that." She touched her necklace, and it glowed even brighter.

"Yeah, and I'm going to take care of you!" Maddie shouted. She grabbed a broom, and smacked the fox girl. The wooden end broke off, and Taylor was still standing. Maddie couldn't believe it.

"I don't think so," Taylor said with a small smile. The necklace began to glow again. Maddie felt herself get weak, as if her life was being sucked out of her. She leaned against the wall for support. The fox chuckled again. "Time to take your final bow, birdie."

"Get away from her!" Taylor turned and a small furry body jumped on her head and began clawing at her. Taylor screamed in anger.

"Get off me!" she said, trying to pull the raccoon off her, but Robbie was too quick. He scratched and pulled, trying anything he could to help his friend. His paw hit the gold necklace, and it stopped glowing.

"Huh, wha?" Maddie asked, getting her strength back. She then saw her friend. "Robbie!"

"Little rat!" Taylor shouted. She finally got ahold of Robbie, and threw him down onto the hard floor. The raccoon groaned in pain. Maddie quickly picked him up, and ran away.

"You can't hide from me!" Taylor shouted, her loud voice echoing through the backstage area. The fox was quickly catching up to the two.

"So, you got a plan to stop her before she takes away both our souls?" Robbie asked, still in Maddie's arms.

"I don't...wait!" She stopped by the curtain ropes. Above the other side of the stage, there were two heavy sandbags. "Robbie, can you cut these ropes with your teeth?"

"Well, yeah," Robbie said, stating the obvious, "raccoons have a biting force of..."

"Just bite the ropes!" Maddie interrupted, "but don't let them go until I tell you."

"Okay," Robbie said, jumping out of Maddie's wings. He began biting the ropes.

"There you two are!" Taylor yelled, making the two jump. "I think I'll make the little rat pay first!"

"I'm the one you're after!" Maddie shouted, "and if you want me, you'll have to come and get me!" Maddie began running again, but Taylor just laughed.

"In case you didn't know, my necklace works long range too!" She placed one paw on her necklace, and it shot a beam out at Maddie, slowing her down. Thinking quickly, she grabbed a full sized mirror a student was using to look at her outfit, and moved it in front of the beam's path, shooting it right back at Taylor. It had no effect on the fox, but it did make her more angry.

"What is going on here!" Ms. Tara shouted. Everyone who was in or worked on the play ran onto the stage to see the fight between the two girls. Taylor ignored them all. She no longer cared about the part or not getting in trouble, she just wanted to kill this little brat! Her eyes were now a firey orange. She continued trying to hit the bird girl.

Maddie threw various props to slow the fox down, but Taylor dodged them with no trouble at all (stupid fancy footwork!). Maddie ran until she reached the end of the stage, where the exit was blocked by pieces of scenery.

"Well, guess you ran out of places to run," Taylor said coldly, despite her burning eyes.

"And you've ran to just the right place," Maddie replied with a sly smile, "Now!"

"Right!" Robbie shouted. He let go of the ropes, and it quickly went up and through all the gears. The sandbags on the other side of the stage fell to the Earth, and right on top of Taylor. She let out a yell, and hit the ground, knocked out.

Since the ropes were cut and the sandbags dropped, the curtains were now open. The students were sitting in silence, and then erupted into applause.

"Oh no, what did you kids do!" Ms. Tara shouted, running over to Taylor. She lifted the bags off her, and flipped the fox onto her back. The oval on the necklace had shattered, but the broken pieces were glowing. Not the putrid green-yellow color, but a bright blue. Light shot out, and hit three students.

"What...*Gasp* I have my voice back!" Sara shouted after she was hit.

"And I can move my feet again!" the bear boy said, before clicking his heals together.

The girl in black looked shocked, her faded rainbow highlights now bright with color. "I-I can feel again. And I feel so... so..." She began to sob. "Happy!"

Maddie smiled. Everyone had their talents back, and they could never be taken away again. But then, Maddie heard a small moan. She looked down, and saw Taylor start to wake up.

"Ugh, what happened?" she said in a small voice. She opened her eyes, which were back to a soft brown, and looked out into the vast audience. She immediantly began to panic. "Wh-who are all these people? Why are they staring at me? And, where's my necklace? I can't be without my necklace! I can't..." She began to tear up, but then felt a feathered hand on her arm.

"Hey, it's okay, I'll help you up," Maddie said with a friendly smile. She helped the shy fox off the ground, and into the safety of the backstage area. A few students began closing the curtain manually.

"Oh, oh that was awful! I'm so embarrased!" Taylor began to quietly sob. Maddie and Robbie looked at the crying eighth grader, feeling a little awkward.

"Um, hey, it wasn't that bad," Maddie said, with a encouraging smile.

"Yeah, and besides, most middle schoolers have a pretty low attention span," Robbie added, "a couple weeks from now, no one will even remember this."

The fox looked up at them with hopeful eyes. "R-Really?"

"Yeah," the two replied. Taylor smiled, and hugged them both. "Thank you," she whispered, "for everything." She was then called by Ms. Tara, who wanted to take her to the nurse's office in case she was hurt. Maddie and Robbie waved goodbye.

'Since she's not crazy anymore,' Maddie thought smiling, 'Maybe we can become real friends.'

The afternoon performance was cancelled, but the evening performance was fantastic! Maddie was nervous at first, but once she got into the role, she was nearly perfect. There was one line she stumbled on, but she just shrugged it off and kept going. No one even commented on it.

"Jolly good performance," Pops said as he and the rest of the park family walked to their cars.

"Yeah sweetie, you were great up there," said Margaret, giving her daughter a hug.

"Thanks guys," Maddie replied. She looked up at the stars and smiled. "This was a pretty fun night."

"Says you!" Robbie shouted, bringing the bird back to Earth, "I had to pay thirty dollars of allowance money to the school for new curtain ropes. What kind of rope costs thirty dollars! And I also got detention for destroying school property."

"I said I was sorry," Maddie said. But Robbie just crossed his arms and looked away. "Hmph," he said, mad at his friend. But Maddie knew he wouldn't stay mad at her. They were best friends, it was impossible for them to stay mad at each other.

"How about I make it up to you," Maddie offered.

"How?"

"I'll buy you two new books, and I'll let you pick all the things we do together _and _I'll let you be player one on all the games we play tomorrow."

"...Okay."

Maddie smiled. "I knew you would forgive me."

"Yeah yeah," Robbie said, annoyed. Maddie put her wing around Robbie in a one armed hug. She smiled at him. And as much as he didn't want to, Robbie smiled back.

**Wow, really long chapter. I thought about splitting it into two, but I hate doing that since it kinda ruins the flow of the story. So anyway, hope you really liked this chapter. I had a hard time trying to sit down and write it, it was like a Holiday force preventing me to write. But morning after Christmas, Bam! The words just flew onto the word doc. This was a lot of fun to write, and I hope it was fun to read. **

**Also, there really is a play called Bugsy Malone. It's based off a 70's movie, and I was actually in my school's version of it. I was a background character, but I still had a lot of fun. Please review, and I'll see you in the next chapter. In case I don't get the next one up by the 1st, Happy new year! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm just saying, it would be cool to have one, and after everything that's happened in our lives, we can't really say it's impossible."

"Dude, you're not going to ever have a time machine," Maddie said, "besides, what would you even do with one?"

"Um, dinosaurs, cowboys, seeing old movies on the big screen, playing old video games," Robbie replied, listing off the possibilities. Maddie and Robbie, as well as their three friends, were walking down the school hallways. It was almost time for their final class of the day.

"But isn't it supposed to be dangerous if you go back in time?" Kimi asked.

"Yeah, don't you mess up the future or something?" Greg added.

"Nah, that's only if you're not careful," answered Robbie, "and it would kinda be worth it, going back in time is cool."

"Whatever, it'll still never happen," Maddie said, "both Skips and my dad said that Father Time controls past, present and future, so you could never go back in time with a machine. The only way you could ever meet Father Time and _maybe _get him to send you back is if you blow up a microwave, and don't even think about doing something that stupid."

"W-what does a microwave have t-to do with time travel?" Taylor asked. Ever since the play, she was a lot more shy and a lot more quiet, but she was also nice and kind, and was quickly becoming a good friend.

"I-...I have no idea," Maddie answered, "Radiation, I guess?"

"Yeah, that sounds right," Robbie said absentmindedly. Just then, the minute bell rang. "We better get going." The five friends waved goodbye, and then walked towards their classes. Greg and Kimi walked towards the science hallway for Chemistry and Biology. Taylor walked to the cafeteria for Home Ec, and Maddie and Robbie walked towards their favorite class of the day.

"I wonder what Skips is gonna teach us today," Maddie asked.

"Well, whatever it is, it must be outside," answered Robbie, "look!" Kids, all from their class, were running away from the classroom, looking very happy. Maddie and Robbie quickened their pace, but stopped outside a shut door.

"'Kids, class is canceled for today, I've excused you all for the rest of the day. Please go home. Your teacher, Skips'," Maddie read, "What does he mean 'class is canceled'?"

"Maybe he had to go home because he got sick," Robbie suggested, "Like maybe he got food poisoning."

"No, Skips doesn't get sick, and he always brings his lunch," Maddie replied, "I guess he could've gone to the park to help out or something, but still, it seems kinda weird. Maybe he's still here."

Maddie lifted up her wing and was about to place her hand on the doorknob, when a calm yet threatening British voice stopped her. The air suddenly turned cold around the two kids.

"Well, I figured a girl that looked as pre'ty as you would know 'ow to read."

Both kids looked up at the figure that loomed over them. He was a tall man, wearing leather and grey clothing. He had pale skin, long brown hair, and was wearing sunglasses. But that didn't matter, they could still feel him staring through them. He had a smile on his face, one that seemed confident, like he knew nothing could touch him. Despite his calm demeanor, he sent a chill up their spines.

"Now, what are you kiddies doin' here?" he asked, "The sign says go home."

They felt nervous, but they stood their ground. "We're here to see Skips," Robbie answered, scowling at the man.

"He's our teacher, and our friend," Maddie added, glaring, "and we're not leaving without seeing him!"

The pale man frowned. "Well, someone sure has a big mouth," he said. Maddie growled. It looked like she was about hit him, but Robbie held her arm back. "If I were you, I'd keep my mouth shut," he said, crouching down to her level. He smiled again. "Because trust me, you don't want me to be the one that makes you quiet."

He lifted up his hand. It was so pale and bony, almost like a skeleton. He reached out at Maddie slowly, as if to stroak her cheek. The closer the hand got, the colder Maddie felt. Even Robbie felt like he was freezing, and he was covered in fur! The man was just about to touch her face when...

"Death." All three looked up at the yeti standing in the doorway.

"Ah, there you are Skips! I was wondering if you'd show up," Death said with a grin.

"What were you doing, Death?" Skips asked, his face stoick yet angry, "You know it's not their time."

"Hey, you can't blame 'Ol Death for bein' a little impatient sometimes," he said jokingly. Skips just glared at him. He then looked down at the two kids.

"Go home," Skips ordered.

"What? But Skips/Why do we-?" The kids started to ask in unison, but Skips stopped them.

"This doesn't concern either of you. I want you two to go home, do not make me ask you again." Skips seemed different. He was always so patient with the kids, and never yelled at them, not even when they accidentally broke something or made a mistake. He was protective over the kids, but was also fun and interesting. He was like a kind grandfather or uncle to them.

But now, he still seemed protective of them, but he also seemed... angry? At who? This man? Himself? Something just seemed off about him. But the kids knew not to argue with the yeti.

"Okay Skips, we'll leave," said Robbie, "We'll see you tomorrow." Death chuckled a little at this comment, but the kids just glared at him.

"Be careful, okay Skips?" Maddie said. Skips just looked at them, not giving an answer. He just gave a small grunt. They took that as their cue to leave. As they walked away, their footsteps echoing through the empty hallway, they looked back once. But the yeti was already gone.

()()()()()()()()()()

The rest of the week, Skips had not showed up for class. They had a substitute teacher, but he knew nothing about the lessons Skips wrote down, so he just gave the class freetime while he got on Facebook. This gave Maddie and Robbie plenty of time to think about what happened to Skips. To worry about him, and to think of reasons why he had to leave. But most of all, how to get him back. Their parents knew nothing about why Skips had left, but they just assumed it was business.

"Skips has dealed with Death before," Mordecai had said when they asked him about it, "Trust me guys, he's fine. He'll be back soon, just wait and see."

But by the time Friday had rolled around, the kids had had enough. "Okay, I'm tired of waiting," Maddie said, "that guy did something to Skips, and we're going to find out what!"

"Yeah, no one takes our friend!" Robbie agreed. But then he frowned. "But we don't even know where he went."

Maddie smiled. "But I know two people who probably do!" As soon as school was over, they called their parents to tell them where they were going, and then ran all the way to the park. When they got there, Pops answered the door.

"Oh! Hello there Maddie and Robbie. What a nice surprise to see you two here," Pops greeted with a small smile. Even the ever-happy Pops was less happy without Skips there. "Please, come in. I'll go get some refreshments."

"Thanks Pops," the kids said in unison. They walked into the living room, and saw the familiar gumball machine sitting on the couch, watching tv.

"Oh, hey kids," Benson said, "What are you two doing here?"

"We want to just ask you a few questions, Mr. Marin," Robbie answered, acting like all the detectives he had read about in mystery books. But Benson didn't look impressed and Maddie just rolled her eyes.

"We're here to ask if you knew where Skips is, and why he left," Maddie asked. Benson's face fell.

"I wish I knew myself," he answered.

"But you and Pops practically live with him," Maddie protested, "and I'm sure he talked to you the day he left."

"He talked to us that morning at breakfast, and seemed fine," Benson said, "but then he called from the school around two. All he said was that he would be leaving for a while and not to worry."

"So, he didn't say where he was going at all?" Robbie asked.

"I'm sorry kids," Benson replied.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to find out ourselves," Maddie said, determined.

"Oh no you don't," said Benson, shooting down their idea.

"Benson, Skips is our friend. _All _of us are his friends. We should all being trying to help him!"

"Yeah, not just sitting on the couch watching tv!" Robbie added. Benson glared at them, his gumballs starting to fade to red. But he quickly calmed himself down.

"Look, I know you're worried about him, but..." Benson started to say, trying to put it in the right words, "Look, Skips has a complicated past, one that even me and Pops don't even know. He's the type of guy who just likes to take care of things himself, fight his own battles, you know?"

"But..." The kids started to protest, but Benson raised a hand to stop them.

"And, you forget, you guys are just kids. Your parents would kill me if I let anything bad happen to you, and to be honest, I couldn't live with myself either. But I promise you, at the first sign that Skips is in trouble, Me, Pops and your dads will all go to help him. Until then, promise me that you won't go trying to find him."

"... Okay," they said, defeated.

"Say it."

"We promise."

"Good," said Benson. Just then, he got an alert on his pager (the park had upgraded from walkie talkies). "Great," he said, "Kids are swimming in the fountain again. I'll be right back." And with that, Benson left the room. After a few seconds, just to make sure the gumball machine was gone, Maddie turned to Robbie.

"We're still going after Skips, right?"

"Well duh!"

Maddie smiled. "Excellent," she said, "We just have to find some sort of clue that tells us where Skips could've gone."

"Well, he was talking to Death," said Robbie, "maybe Death wants him to, kill someone?"

"Hmm, maybe it has to do with Skips being immortal. Death does control who lives and dies, and maybe he's tired of Skips living," Maddie suggested.

"But Death doesn't control immortality," Robbie said, "the Guardians of Youth do, don't you remember the story?"

"Then if Death wants to kill Skips, he would have to go to the kingdom in the clouds, and talk to the Guardians of Youth!" Maddie said, now excited, "That's where they've probably gone!"

"But how do we get there? In the legend, there was a bunch of old magical places you would have to go to," Robbie reminded, "and there's no way they still exist. Plus, it would take too long, we've already wasted four days."

"There has to be another way," Maddie said, thinking, "Skips has a bunch of books and old things in his house, maybe there's something there that can help us..."

"Help you do what?" Pops asked curiously, as he walked into the room with a plate of Oreo cookies and tea cups.

"Uh, homework!" Maddie said, thinking quickly.

"Yeah, before Skips left, he gave us a report to do, and we've kinda hit a dead end," Robbie continued, "But we thought maybe one of Skips' books could help us."

"Oh yes, Skips has such interesting books," Pops said smiling, "and such fascinating pictures! Oh, but I believe he keeps his house locked."

"Well, isn't there a spare key?" Robbie asked.

"Well yes, but I'm not sure if I should tell you," Pops said.

"Don't worry Pops, we promise not to stay there long," Maddie said with an innocent smile. At least that part wasn't a lie.

"Well, alright, just make sure you don't make a mess," said Pops, "Skips wouldn't want to come home to an untidy room."

"We wouldn't think of it," Robbie assured the lolliman.

"Alright. All the spare keys are in Benson's office."

"Thanks Pops!" Both kids took a couple cookies, and ran towards Benson's office.

()()()()()()()()()()()

"Magic Spells, Curses, Cures, Magic Plants, Legends! Here it is!" Robbie quickly pulled the book off the shelf, and started flipping through it.

"Look for Guardians of Youth," Maddie said.

"I know what to look for!" Robbie snapped.

"Don't yell at me, I'm just trying to help," Maddie snapped back.

"If you want to help, don't tell me... wait! Here it is! Guardians of Youth!" Robbie opened the book to the page. On one page was a picture of the castle the guardians lived in, and on the other side, a picture of one of the guardians. The raccoon pushed up his glasses, and began to read.

_In the olden days, one would have to go through many tasks and travel throughout the lands to gain the skills and knowledge to make themselves worthy enough to be in the presence of the Guardians. But in recent years, mankind has used these magical resources and have nearly destroyed them. As a unanimous decision, the guardians took these magical places away, so no mortals could reach the Guardians. But, for those who knew about the Guardians and had been given the gift of eternal life were given a rattle, to summon transportation to the Guardians whenever they had questions, or to pay respect to the Guardians. _

_To summon transportation to the Guardians, you must light a fire with amber and pixie hairs, and dance the Dance of the Guardians while shaking the rattle. For other Guardian dances, see 'Immortal Dance' and 'Dance of Respect'._

"Dance of the Guardians?" Maddie repeated, "What's that?" They turned the page, and saw a diagram of the dance. Both of them grimaced. It looked totally embarrasing.

"Not it!" They both shouted, but Robbie finished first. "Darn it!" Maddie said, while Robbie just smiled. After getting the supplies from Skips' house, they went out into the forest, and lit the fire. Maddie grabbed the rattle.

"Okay, start dancing," Robbie said.

"Wait," Maddie said. She walked over to the raccoon, and held out her hand. "Phone," she said.

"Oh Maddie, do you really think I would record this?" Robbie asked. Maddie didn't say anything, she just held out her hand. "Oh fine!" Disappointed, Robbie gave her the phone. "I wasn't going to put it online or anything, just tease you with it and show it to our friends, and I know you'd do the same."

"Nice try," Maddie said, putting the phone in her pocket. She then began the dance, leaping around the fire while waving her wings and shaking the rattle. It took all of Robbie's will power not to laugh at the sight.

After a couple minutes, a light shone down on the fire. "Look, we did it!" Robbie said, excited.

"We? I didn't see you dancing," Maddie said, glaring at the raccoon. But Robbie ignored her. Putting the rattle down, Maddie walked over to Robbie, and they watched a white El Camino float down towards them.

"A truck?" Maddie asked, "I figured it would be something more magical, like a chariot or something."

"Well, at least we'll have radio," said Robbie. Both kids climbed into the car, and it started to float upwards. The kids were so amazed, they didn't even notice the figure jumping into the back.

()()()()()()()()()()

The car landed on the platform, and the kids quickly jumped out. "Okay, now to find Skips!" Maddie said.

"No you don't!" A voice shouted. Both kids let out a yell, and turned around. They saw Benson climbing out of the back of the truck. Needless to say, he looked pretty pissed off.

"Homework, huh?" Benson said, "Pops told me you went to Skips' house. When I got there, I saw the open book (Maddie punched Robbie in the shoulder) so I headed towards the forest. When I got there, a car is floating down from the sky and you two are jumping into it! I told you two, it's too dangerous! We're going back, right now!"

"Benson, no!/What! We can't!" the kids shouted in unison.

"You two, get in the car or you're fi-..." Benson then realized who he was talking to, "grounded! I'll make sure you two get grounded if you don't get in the car!"

"Benson, if we don't help Skips, Death is going to tell the Guardians of Youth to kill him!" Robbie explained, "If we don't help him, he going to be killed!"

Benson, having not been here the last time Skips was summoned by the Guardians, was a bit confused by the young raccoon's statement. But he definitely understood the part about Skips getting killed, and it definitely got through to him. Except for Pops, Skips was Benson's best friend. And even if it wasn't the safest thing to do or the most reasonable, Benson knew he would do anything to save his friend's life.

"Please Benny," Maddie said, "We have to stay, we have to help." They looked up at the gumball machine with sad eyes. Benson sighed.

"At the first sign of trouble, you two leave, no arguing," Benson said.

"We promise," they said, now smiling.

"So, where's Skips? Or these guardians, or whatever," asked Benson.

"Well, we don't really know," Robbie answered truthfully. Benson mentally facepalmed. "But, I'm sure we can find out! Follow us!" The three chose one of the opened doors, and started walking through the castle.

"Skips? Skips, where are you?" they called, quietly but just loud enough for someone to hear. The small cells they passed were empty. Some had broken chains, others had skeletons in them. They hoped they weren't too late. "Skips!"

"Huh? Who...kids, is that you?" Maddie and Robbie gasped, and then smiled. They ran towards the voice, until they arrived at a cell where a certain yeti was.

"Skips! We found you!" Maddie said happily.

"Yeah, now let's get you out of here!" Robbie added.

"What are you two doing here?" Skips said, raising his voice a little, "I told you two to stay home, this doesn't concern you, and now you're both in danger. And how did you even get here?"

"We figured you would be here since Death wants to kill you," answered Maddie, "so we used one of your books and the rattle to get a ride here."

"So we can rescue you!" added Robbie, "Oh, and Benson hitched a ride with us." As Robbie said that, Benson had just caught up with the two kids.

"Skips! What are you doing here?" Benson asked in between breaths.

"Well, it's not because of Death, he just took me here," Skips said, "Yeah, he wants me dead, but that isn't the reason I'm here."

"Well, what other reason is there?" Robbie asked.

"Skips, did you break a rule or something?" Maddie asked. Skips stayed silent for a moment.

"Well, since you probably won't leave anytime soon, I guess you'll find out during the trial," Skips finally answered.

"Wait, so you've been here for four days, waiting for a trial to start?" Benson asked, almost not believing it.

"Hey, just because their magical doesn't make the system any better," Skips answered dryly. Just then, they all heard footsteps walking towards them.

"Skips, it's time," said a British voice, only his was a lot deeper than Skips. He was wearing a suit, had a blonde mullet, and had stars for eyes. 'This just keeps getting weirder and weirder,' thought Benson. "Who are they?" the blonde asked.

"Don't worry Gary, they'll leave soon," said Skips, standing up.

"Very well," said Gary. He lifted his hand, and made a fist. The bars of the cell disappeared, and Skips skipped out, wearing a rather solemn expression. He skipped behind Gary, and the trio walked behind Skips.

Soon, they were out on the main platform again, and floating above them were five chubby babies, each holding a rattle like the one Skips had back on Earth. "The Guardians of Youth," Maddie whispered. Death was there too, with a satisfied smirk. Maddie, Robbie and Benson all glared at him, but Death didn't care.

"Well Skips," said the middle guardian, "We meet once again." Skips said nothing. "Today, we are here to pass judgement on whether or not to keep your immortality. Do you remember the oath you took when you first came here?" Skips nodded. The guardian noticed the trio. "I shall read it for those who do not know the oath."

A scroll appeared out of nowhere, and the baby began to read. "'I, insert name here, in exchange for eternal life pledge to do the following: I promise to always keep my mind sharp, to always learn about the new things in time. I promise to always do good, to use my gift to help others. And, I promise to always pay my respects to the Guardians who gave me my gift, by dancing the Birthday Dance on the day of my birth.'

"Now Skips, we all know you are quite wise, and except for that one time, you have always respected us by dancing. But, as of the past decade or so, you good deeds have plummeted to zero. If you wish to only live for selfish reasons, then you no longer deserve eternal life. What do you have to say in your defense?"

Skips stayed silent. He couldn't defend himself because they were right, he had been selfish. Yes, during his first few centuries of life, he would help people in secret. But around his one thousand and fifty-sixth birthday, Pops had found him. Skips had been helping the park secretly, but had been caught while cleaning the fountain, helping out the park's newest manager. But Pops thought nothing of it or the fact that he was a yeti, in fact he offered the yeti a job.

Skips had refused at first, not wanting to go attachment to people who would eventually die. But after a lot of convincing, he accepted the job. Turns out the park had helped more than he could've imagined. Not only did the park give him plenty of opportunities to help people (especially when Mordecai and Rigby arrived), but it gave him the thing he had been missing for centuries: a family.

But after years of working at the park and everything becoming so mundane, Skips' 'good deeds' became household chores. And then there were the kids. Since Skips never had kids of his own, he had begun to think of Maddie and Robbie as his own. He enjoyed everytime he was asked to watch them or play with them. Forgeting his oath, Skips had thought of a way he could spend time with the kids. He would become a teacher, sharing his knowledge with Maddie and Robbie, as well as the rest of his class. He would be spending time with them, and teaching them so they wouldn't make the same mistakes as their dads.

But now, they were going to see him die. But Skips knew he didn't have a case. Yes, it wasn't entirely selfish, but the Guardians were very picky, so it was enough.

"Very well, Skips," said the head guardian, "All those in favor of..."

"Wait!" Skips turned around and saw the kids running towards him.

"Skips isn't selfish, he's the most unselfish guy we know!" Robbie shouted.

"Yeah! He started a whole class just to teach kids about magic and supernatural stuff, so they could learn about it and protect themselves," added Maddie.

"But how do we know he didn't start this class just to satisfy his own dreams or desires?" a baby on the left asked.

"He's still teaching, that counts as a good deed! And he's been teaching for over a month now!" Maddie defended.

"Plus all the other stuff he's done!" Robbie shouted.

"You make a good point, children," said a baby on the right, "but how do we know kids were actually learning from him. They could be daydreaming or not paying attention, so the deed would be a waste of time and no help at all."

"Well, we'll prove that he taught something," Maddie retorted, "Robbie and I are in his class. Have us take a test or something, we'll prove that we learned something from him teaching."

The guardians got in a huddle, discussing the idea. After a few minutes, they broke the huddle. "Very well," said the middle guardian, "We will ask you questions, and if you get them right, Skips will keep his eternal life. If you get just one wrong, we will take it away."

'Totally no pressure,' the kids thought sarcastically. They both nodded, and another scroll appeared. The guardians began asking questions.

The questions ranged from shape-shifters to jinxes, and from 'What not to do' questions to 'How to reverse' questions. The kids had to alternate on who would answer the questions, but they each got their questions right. Skips couldn't help but be proud. Even Benson was impressed.

"Alright, you have both answered your questions right," said the head guardian, "we just have one final task for you to do." A kitchen table as well as a cabinet and fridge filled with ingredients and supplies appeared out of nowhere, as well as an oven. "Make the Guardians of Youth favorite dessert."

"Yes, yes, dessert, delicious, yes," the other guardians said, agreeing (sort of).

The kids' eyes widened, as well as Skips'. Skips had never taught them anything about what dessert the Guardians liked, so how were they supposed to know.

"I sense some distress," the middle guardian said, "Do you or do you not accept the task?"

Maddie and Robbie looked at each other. If they accepted the challenge, and failed, Skips would be killed. But if they didn't try, Skips would be killed. They had to at least try. "Yes, we accept the challenge," Robbie replied, while Maddie nodded.

"Very well, you have one hour."

"What are we going to do?" Robbie asked, "How are we supposed to know what dessert they like." Maddie didn't answer, she was just thinking back to all the days in class. Maybe Skips did teach them what it was, and they just couldn't remember. But, as she thought about all the lessons, one stood out in her mind.

_"But, you can't think of an example for every problem, and sometimes there isn't even an answer. No one knows everything. Heck, even I don't know everything, just most of everything." A few kids chuckled. "But, when you don't know what to do, just use common sense. Don't freak out, and just think it out."_

"I think I know what to make," Maddie said. Robbie gave her a look, but Maddie ignored him and told Robbie what ingredients to get. Robbie quickly figured out what they were making, and gave the bird a smile. After an hour of pouring, mixing and baking, the kids presented the guardians with...

"Cake!" "They made chocolate cake!" "They have cake!" "Give us the chocolate cake!"

"Quiet!" said the leader guardian to his brothers. He then turned to the kids. "You have passed the final task. Skips, you shall continue living, just remember your oath."

"Right," said Skips.

"Now, give us the cake, and leave this place." Maddie happily set the cake in front of the babies, and she and Robbie ran over and hugged Skips. As they passed Death, they stuck their tongues out at them. Death just glared at them and left, disappointed, leaving a small flame in his place.

"I have to say, that was pretty impressive," Skips said with a smile, "Thanks guys."

"Well, we couldn't just let you die," said Robbie, stating the obvious.

"How'd you two figure out what to make?" Skips asked.

"Yeah, I thought he didn't teach you that," Benson said.

"He didn't, but he taught us something else," Maddie answered, "a little tip that helped us think of what to make."

"Everyone likes chocolate cake," Robbie added. Skips just smiled.

"Come on, let's get you two home."

()()()()()()()()()()()

"Aw what!" "Pop quiz?" "You've gotta be kidding me!"

The kids in the class groaned as the papers were passed back. After a week of not opening their books, no one in the class expected a good grade. As Maddie and Robbie looked at the paper, they looked at each other.

"These questions seem kinda familiar, don't they?" Maddie whispered with a smile.

"Like, the exact we answered for the guardians?" Robbie whispered back, "And just look at the extra credit question."

_What is the Guardians of Youth favorite dessert?_

The two kids looked up at their teacher. Skips didn't say a word, he just gave them a small, knowing smile.

**Another super long chapter. Hope this turned out okay, I've been working on it for 3 and a half hours. I hope you guys like it, next chapter coming soon! :)**


	14. Chapter 14

**After three chapters of little to no Parent/Kid interaction, I wanted to write a little more 'normal' chapter, and I noticed one of my reviewers wanted more chapters focused on Rigby and Robbie. So I thought of this. Something I wanted to do for a while but kept forgetting about it. So, hope you enjoy!**

"Hey Eileen, I'm back!" Rigby threw his jacket on the coatrack and walked into the living room. Eileen was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine. She looked up, and smiled at her husband.

"Hey Rigby, how was work?" Eileen ask, moving a strand of brown hair away from her face.

"Eh, okay," said Rigby, sitting down on the couch. Since he was a garbageman, he really only had to work a couple days a week, but that still didn't mean he liked working. He would still rather be at home with his family, playing video games and eating cheese curls. Speaking of video games...

The elder raccoon was about to ask if he could play on the family Xbox when he heard a frusterated groan come from the kitchen. "What was that?" Rigby asked.

"Robbie's in there, doing his math homework," Eileen answered. Rigby made a face.

"No wonder he sounds miserable," said Rigby, "Hey, do you care if I play a game?"

"Rigby," said Eileen, "Maybe you should go in there and see if you can help him."

Rigby looked at her like she was crazy. "Eileen, I dropped out, remember? If anything, I'll make him get an F on the paper, maybe even a G!"

"Um, they don't have G's," corrected Eileen.

"Whatever, the point is, I won't be able to help him," said Rigby, a little bitterly. His son was a lot smarter than him, even at 10 and 3/4s (as Robbie liked to call it since his birthday was in a couple weeks). That wasn't really a surprise though since Eileen, the queen of trivia, was his mom. Rigby was proud of his son, but he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. He also felt a little ashamed that he couldn't help his son when Robbie wasn't smart enough.

"Why don't you help him, you're the smart one," Rigby suggested.

"He's getting older, he doesn't really want his mom to help," said Eileen, "In fact, most boys at his age would rather have help from their dad. And besides, you two like spending time together." She said this with a smile, remembering how close Rigby and Robbie were. She always knew Rigby would be a great father.

"Well, how about you go help him with the math things, and then me and him can play video games after," Rigby said, "Father/son bro time!"

Eileen frowned. "Rigby, please. Just go in and try. Even if you don't know what to do, you can at least be there to encourage him," the mole woman said, "Please."

Rigby looked at his wife, and sighed. "Okay fine," he said reluctantly.

Eileen smiled. "Thanks Rigby," she said. She kissed his cheek before he got off the couch. Walking into the kitchen, Rigby saw Robbie growl at the math book, and angrily erase his answer.

"Stupid math teacher," the younger raccoon mumbled.

"Uh, hey Robbie," said Rigby. Robbie looked up.

"Oh, hey dad," said Robbie, "What do you need?"

"Oh, nothing, just thought I'd hang out in here with you," answered Rigby, sitting down at the table, "and maybe help you with your math thing."

"Oh, um, okay," said Robbie. Even Robbie knew his dad wasn't the smartest, but who knows, maybe he would surprise him.

"So, what are you doing?" Rigby asked, looking at the book.

"Well, right now we're learning about algebra," said Robbie, "and we have to do this thing where we make b negative, add or subtract the square root of b squared minus 4 ac, all over 2 a. But I keep getting the wrong answer, I think it has something to do with the negatives, but I don't know what I'm doing wrong. What do you think?"

Rigby didn't say anything. You could almost see the sparks his brain was giving off. "Um, uh, well I... Could you repeat that?"

"It's okay Dad, you don't need to help me," said Robbie, giving him a small smile, "I'll figure it out on my own. But thanks for trying." And with that, Robbie went back to his homework, leaving Rigby feeling a little awkward.

"Um, okay," he said, getting up from the table. He needed something to get his mind off this. It was then Rigby spotted the Xbox in living room. He also saw his wife grabbing her jacket.

"Rigby," Eileen said when Rigby walked into the room, "I have to go. The library just called. I guess the new girl messed up the order and now there's a whole big mess at the library. I promise to be back by supper."

The two said goodbye, and Eileen quickly walked out the door. Now was the perfect time to play video games. Rigby smiled as he picked up the controller. But then, he remembered his son in the kitchen. He heard another frusterated groan, and Rigby couldn't help but remember when he had troubles with homework. He stuck his tongue out at the word. _Homework_. One of the reasons he was glad to drop out, to get away from it.

It was then an idea hit Rigby. He wasn't sure if it would work for his son, but he could try.

"Hey Robbie," said Rigby, walking back into the kitchen, "You wanna play some video games." Robbie looked up at his dad, confused.

"But, I have to finish my homework, it's due Monday," replied Robbie.

"Look, when I was a kid and I had to do this homework crap, I couldn't really understand it. It was confusing, and bor-ing! Usually, I would have someone else to do it for me. But, whenever I had trouble with homework, and Don wasn't around to help or I didn't have enough money to pay Mordecai to do it, I would just take a break. Go play video games or grab a snack or go outside, stuff like that. Then, when my break was over, I would come back, and I could do my homework. Well, I still couldn't understand it, but at least I didn't have a headache anymore."

"Hmm," said Robbie, thinking about it. He had been working on this assignment for over half an hour, and playing video games seemed pretty tempting. Robbie smiled, and closed his math book. "Okay, you're on."

(()()()()()()()()()()()

"Oh oh oh! Come on! Come on!"

"Not so fast, Dad! Boom! Gotcha!"

Rigby groaned. His character was down, and he wasn't getting up anytime soon. "I can't believe it, I can't even beat my kid at video games!" Rigby said, pouting, "Well, at least I can say my kid's the best at video games."

Robbie just smiled. "Well, maybe if you didn't mash the buttons, you would win Dad."

"What! Button mashing can totally help you win, it-it just depends on the situation, that's all!" Robbie just rolled his eyes. "Button mashing is a very powerful skill, just like hamboning!"

"Ham what?"

"Oh, I'll tell you about it when you're older. It's really powerful stuff, it can even save your life some day!" Robbie just blinked, and then bursted out laughing. "What?"

"Nothing," Robbie said, smiling. Rigby smiled back, and then glanced up at the clock.

"Oh wow, we've been playing for almost two hours." He then looked at his son. "Guess you better get back to your homework."

"Oh. Right, that," Robbie said, disappointed. Rigby turned off the tv, and they both walked into the kitchen. Robbie sat down at the table and opened his math book, while Rigby walked over to the fridge and got out the container of Rigjuice (the drink no one else in the house would even touch).

"Huh," said Robbie, looking at the paper.

"What?" Rigby asked. Robbie didn't answer, he just looked at his paper, going through each answer.

"Now I see what I did wrong!" Robbie shouted, "I forgot two negatives equal a positive, and a positive and a negative equal negative! And then on these, I needed to add AND subtract!"

Add, negative, what? "Uh, yes," Rigby said simply.

"I guess I did need a break," Robbie said, smiling at his dad.

"Well, you know what they say," Rigby said, "All homework, and no playing video games makes Jack boring, or something like that."

In no time at all, Robbie had finished his math homework, all his answers correct. "So, you're finished?" Rigby asked.

"Yep!" Robbie answered, getting an approving smile from his dad, "And now, I have time to kick your butt at video games again."

Rigby scowled. "No way! I'm gonna kick your butt!"

"No, I'm going to kick your butt!"

"No, I'm gonna-" Just then, both their stomachs growled. "Uh, I'll kick your butt at video games, after I make us some lunch," said Rigby, "How about BLT's?"

"Yeah!" answered Robbie.

Shortly after the two had finished eating, Eileen came home from the library, the book crisis now completely fixed. Rigby and Robbie played on the Xbox while Eileen happily watched. A couple hours later, the family of three sat around the table, eating a delicious roast beef supper.

Rigby left after supper to go bowling (a Park Strikers reunion), leaving just Eileen and Robbie to enjoy dessert.

"So Robbie, you finished your homework, right?" Eileen asked, as she gave her son a bowl of chocolate chip ice cream.

"Yep," Robbie answered, "all finished, and all the right answers."

Eileen smiled. "Great. Did your dad help you with it?"

Robbie thought about it, and smiled. "Yeah, he did."

**Rigby definitely wouldn't be the smartest dad (well, maybe smarter than Homer or Peter Griffin), but I think he would still be a good dad :) Please review, and I hope you enjoyed this (Sorry it's kinda short)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Okay, first I want to thank everyone for their reviews. I want to especially thank Dronehunter19 and Cherry-p0p (from deviantART) because they drew AWESOME pics of Maddie and Robbie. Go ahead and google their screen names for their DA accounts if you want to see the pics.**

**Now, on to the real message: I've hit a road block. I've tried the past three days to write something for you guys, but nothing seems to stick. That's right, I've got the dreaded writers block.**

**You guys are so nice, I really want to get a new chapter out to you ASAP. But I don't want it to be super sucky, which is what I feel like everything I've tried to write these past couple days has been. I don't know if it's because it's the holidays or because I've got a bunch of other crap on my mind, but I just can't write.**

**So, as a small favor, I would like you guys, my readers and reviewers, to submit your ideas to kinda get the gears going. You are my awesome readers/reviewers, so I want to hear what you have to say. Suggest ideas, tell me what you would want to see in the story, what you don't want to see, anything and everything helps.**

**I'm hoping once I think of some ideas and hear some of yours, and once I get back in school in a couple days (which is where I think of most of my ideas), I'll be able to give you guys a couple good chapters. **

**So until then, thank you for your patience, and I look forward to hearing from all of you. :)**

**- Futureauthor13**


	16. Chapter 16

**Wow, thanks for all the feedback guys. There have been several ideas, and I've found a few that multiple people have suggested. So, I'm going to try my best to write them. You guys really have inspired me, thank you so much :) **

**This first idea was first suggested by Pinkluver93, and then supported by CANTfindKEYBORED. I was a little reluctant about doing this because I didn't think I was experienced enough to write something like this without it sounding corny/unrealistic/like an after school special. But, I thought more about it, and I think I have something. Forgive me if it's not as well written as you guys would've hoped, but I hope it's at least average. Okay, here we go! **

The small group of five looked through the plastic glass at the dish, if you could even call it that.

"Okay, I give up, I have no idea what kind of food it is," said Maddie.

"I'm gonna say... pork? Maybe?" Greg suggested.

"Dude, pork isn't that brown," Robbie replied, "It looks more like burnt beef."

"L-looks like flatten meatballs t-to me," Taylor added.

"Maybe it's just leftovers that combined to make a new dish," commented Kimi.

Just then, the gravy the meat was in started to bubble, and the kids all took a step back. "Let's just get our food and go," Robbie suggested.

"Yeah, before we all get radiation poisoning," Maddie added. Everyone giggled, and then quickly grabbed their food. Maddie, Greg and Kimi grabbed the alternative, a peanut butter sandwich, while Robbie and Taylor just grabbed a carton of milk since they had brought their lunch from home.

"Hey, sixth graders!" yelled a familiar, annoying voice. Taylor, Greg and Kimi all turned to look, but Maddie and Robbie just kept walking to the table.

"Just ignore him," they told their friends. Maddie and Robbie knew better than to pay attention to Mikey and his group of eight graders. They all quickly went over to their usual round table, and sat down, hoping Mikey would get the message. Unfortunately, he didn't.

"Hey! Hey sixth graders! I'm talking to you!" Mikey shouted, while the rest of the kids at his table chuckled, "Hey! Bird! Ratface! Come over here!"

"Just go over there," Kimi said after almost three minutes of this.

"No way," Maddie replied, while Robbie munched on his sandwich.

"Yeah, it's pwobably some stupid pwank," Robbie mumbled.

"Look, the sooner you go over there, the sooner he'll be quiet," said Greg. Everyone else at the table nodded in agreement.

"Fine," the two best friends said in unison. They stood up, and reluctantly walked across the cafeteria.

"What do you want, Micheal?" Maddie asked. Mikey smiled at the group sitting at the table, and then held up two cans.

"Drink this!" he said. Rather than arguing, which they knew would be useless, the two sixth graders just grabbed the cans and took a sip. They immediantly looked sick. Everyone laughed. "I told you I could make 'em drink it," said Mikey.

"Aw, Mikey? What kind of soda is this?" Robbie asked, disgusted by the taste.

Everyone at the table laughed, and a couple people mumbled "stupid sixth graders".

"It's not soda," said a blonde boy wearing a backwards hat. Maddie and Robbie gave him a curious look, but then realized what they meant.

"Are you insane!" Maddie screeched.

"I knew you were dumb," Robbie started to say, "but bringing be-.." He then remembered that teachers were still there (even if they were busy talking or not paying attention at all). "But bring this to school, you're just asking for it!"

"Hey relax," said a girl with beach blonde hair and wearing all black, "it's lite."

"Yeah, we don't drink the heavy stuff 'til later," another boy said with a wink. Everyone laughed again.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" Maddie told Mikey as she and Robbie put the cans on the table and walked away.

"What was that about?" Kimi asked when the two friends returned.

"Yeah, we heard you two yelling from all the way over here," added Greg.

"It's nothing, just Mikey being stupid," Robbie answered.

"Yeah, just forget it," Maddie said before going back to eating. They weren't to worried about the beer since they had only had a small sip, but they still wanted to get some food in their stomachs to get rid of the taste.

The rest of the day went off without a hitch, although they still felt a tiny bit paranoid. The hardest part was Skips' class. Maddie and Robbie felt like Skips could read their minds or something; the old yeti kept staring at them, but never said a word.

As soon as the bell rang, Maddie and Robbie were the first ones out of there. "I swear I'm going to kill Mikey," Maddie mumbled.

"Let me kill him first," replied Robbie. Just then, they both felt a hand on their shoulder.

"Hey guys," said Mikey, acting like nothing was wrong in the world.

"What do you want?" Maddie snapped.

"Hey, calm down dudes," said Mikey, "It's no big deal."

"You tricked us into drinking!" Robbie retorted.

"Yeah, and you're still alive aren't ya? The teachers never noticed did they?" Mikey asked. Maddie and Robbie stayed silent. "Look, it was no big deal. My parents drink, my godfather drinks, Benson and Skips drink, even _your _parents drink, and nothing bad has happened to them. They're still alive, they still have their jobs, and everything is cool. Stop being such wusses."

"You just don't get it," Maddie said.

"What don't I get?" Mikey snapped back.

"You...I... ugh, you're just being stupid!" Maddie shouted. Robbie agreed.

"Look, you're just overreacting. Beer is just like soda, only better. When your parents leave the house, check the fridge, there's sure to be some there. If you just drink a can, they'll never notice it, and you'll be fine." With that, Mikey took his hands off their shoulders, and walked ahead of them. "Later losers."

"Mikey's just being dumb," Robbie said, as they watched him leave.

"Yeah, dumb," said Maddie. But somehow they both knew what each other was thinking: Was Mikey maybe right?

He did have a point, most of their family drank. Sure, they didn't drink can after can of the stuff until they were so drunk they could barely walk, but they still drank. At least, they probably drank. Adults drank, so their parents probably drank too. Adults drank and kids couldn't. Kids couldn't drink because...they weren't adults?

The two kids were silent on the bus ride home.

Once they got to their stop, Maddie suggested they walk to her house and maybe play catch or something. Fresh air sounded good, and playing ball was something they could concentrate on.

"Mom? Dad?" the violet bird called. But there was only silence.

"Maybe they had to work late or something," Robbie said. He then noticed something on the kitchen counter. "Look, there's a note."

Maddie picked it up and read. "Dear Maddie and Robbie, Mordecai is still at the Waterson's working on their garden mural. I'll be working late, but I'll be home before supper. You can make yourselves a snack, and have fun! Love you, Margaret."

"Well, do you have cookies?" Robbie asked.

"Oreo or peanut butter?" Maddie quickly got the boxes of cookies out, and they each had three. As they munched on their snack, Maddie and Robbie kept looking at the fridge. What was in there? Was Mikey right? They tried talking about random things like school or tv to get their attention off the fridge. Robbie even told a few of his corny jokes to lighten the mood. But it was no use.

They both looked at each other, as if they were silently asking each other if this was okay. "We'll do it on three," Robbie said finally.

"Okay," replied Maddie. They both stood up, and placed a hand on the handle of the fridge. They started to count together. "One... two... three!" They opened the fridge.

They saw the usual stuff. Veggies, cold snacks like pudding and jello, cans of soda, meat thawing in the fridge, a bottle of ketchup and mustard, just normal fridge stuff. But then, they looked at the bottom self. There, lined up in rows of two, were six cans of beer.

Maddie and Robbie looked at each other. "Well," said Maddie.

"Yeah, well," repeated Robbie. The fridge stayed open for a few more moments. "Would your dad notice?"

"I don't know, maybe if we took it from the back..." Maddie couldn't believe what she was thinking. She knew this was wrong and stupid. But, she couldn't help but feel curious. What was it about beer that made so many people drink it and then make other people against it. "We'll only have half a glass each."

"Yeah, half a glass isn't much," said Robbie. Hesitantly, Maddie took a can from the back, and Robbie closed the fridge. They got out two small glasses, and Maddie opened the can. Each glass got half, and then they quickly threw the can away, making sure it was buried under all the other trash in the kitchen trash can.

They stared at the brown liquid. They looked at each other, and silently agreed to take the first sip together. So they raised their glass, took a breath, and took a sip. The taste was bitter, just like the beer they had drank at school. It danced on their tongues, and they eventually numbed. Once the taste was almost gone, they took another sip. After a while, they got used to the taste. For the next five minutes, they would take a couple small sips every few moments.

The sips got a little bigger, until finally both glasses were empty. "So, how do you feel?" Robbie asked.

Maddie thought, and shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, how do you feel?"

"I asked you first."

"Yeah, and I told you, I don't know."

"Well, I guess I feel normal," Robbie started to say, "but I also feel like I rode that wave pool at the water park we went to last year."

Maddie kinda felt that way too, like she was feeling a small buzz. But she wasn't a hundred percent sure if this was the beer, or if this was just her being paranoid again.

Just then, they heard a car door shut, and sat up. "Oh crud!" Maddie said, now panicked, "It's Mom!"

"Quick!" said Robbie, "The glasses!" Each glass still had an amber tint to it, and the only soda in the fridge was Mountain Dew. They ran over to the sink, and washed out their glass about half a dozen times before Margaret opened the front door.

"Hey kids," she said with a friendly smile.

"Hey Mom/Hey Margaret," the kids said quickly. The scarlet bird gave them a curious look.

"You guys okay?" Margaret asked. The kids became nervous, but stayed calm on the outside.

"Yeah, we're fine," said Robbie.

"We were just getting a snack," Maddie added.

"Well, alright," said Margaret, satisfied. She put her briefcase on the table, walked over to the fridge (Maddie and Robbie thought they would have a heart attack), and got out a can of Mountain Dew.

They nonchalantly walked out of the kitchen, and gave a sigh of relief. But despite knowing they were safe for now, both Maddie and Robbie felt a little more sick to their stomachs.

"Hey Maddie, I think I'm gonna go home," said Robbie.

"Oh, okay," replied Maddie, "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah, see ya." The raccoon quietly walked out the door, and Maddie walked to her bedroom.

So, beer wasn't as big a deal as she thought. She didn't get super drunk from one taste. Her parents did drink, just like Mikey had said, and when Maddie had tried it, her parents didn't suspect a thing. So she had gotten off scott free. 'I guess beer isn't a big deal,' Maddie thought as she stared up at her ceiling. She sighed.

'So, if that's true, then why do I feel so guilty about it?'

()()()()()()()()()()

The next day was just a regular day at school. Both kids woke up feeling fine, having already pretty much forgotten about their 'experiment'. They talked with each other and their friends, laughed, did their schoolwork with no problems. Everything seemed fine.

But then, lunch time rolled around.

"Hey wusses," said Mikey, who had found Maddie and Robbie as soon as they entered the cafeteria, "So, did you do it?"

"It's none of your business," Robbie snapped.

"Just get out of here," added Maddie. But Mikey did no such thing. Instead, he just stood there with a cocky smile.

"Aw, you two totally did it!" he said, "didn't I tell you you were over reacting?"

"Whoa, so they did try it?" the baseball hat boy asked, coming up from behind them, "Wow, I guess you're cooler than we gave you credit for."

"You guys get to sit with us today," said the blonde in black. Maddie and Robbie were led to the eighth grade table. They noticed their friends looking at them, but quickly looked away, getting that guilty feeling again.

"So, what kind of beer was it?" Mikey asked.

"We don't know, we didn't look at the name, we just knew what it was," replied Maddie.

"Well that's stupid," said the girl.

"Yeah, everyone knows how good a drink is depends on the brand name," said the boy. He then smiled. "Hey, I got an idea. How about we show these two sixth graders some real fun."

"I'm thinking Tony's?" Mikey asked with a knowing smile.

"You know it!"

"Wait, what's Tony's?" Robbie asked, "Like an arcade or something." Everyone at the table laughed.

"No dude, it's a hangout," said the boy.

"For eight graders only," the girl added.

"But for you two, we'll make an exception," said Mikey, "So, are you guys in?"

Maddie and Robbie looked at each other. They both knew that there would probably be a lot of eight graders there, and they would all have beer. But...

"What time?"

The rest of the day, at least to Maddie and Robbie, felt slow but at the same time rushed. They couldn't stop thinking about what they were going to do that night. They had already texted their parents and told them that they would be at a friend's house. Now they just had to wait.

They barely listened to Skips lecture about voodoo dolls, so they were surprised when the yeti called their names. "Maddie, Robbie!" Both kids looked up. "See me after class."

They gulped and when the bell rang, they slowly walked up to the front of the class. "Yes Skips?" they asked in unison.

"Somethin's up with you two," Skips said, his face stoick, "You wanna tell me what it is?"

"Nothing's wrong Skips," said Maddie.

"Yeah, nothing, we're fine," said Robbie. Skips looked at them. He didn't look ashamed or upset, or even angry. It was usually hard to tell what Skips was feeling, but at this moment, it was nearly impossible.

"Look, I'm not going to stand here and nag you like an after school special," said Skips, "but I am going to say this: You two are smart. You're good kids. So, when the time comes, I know you'll make the right choice." Maddie and Robbie blinked. Skips didn't say another word, but gestured them towards the door.

As soon as the two friends were outside, they sighed. "Well, are we still going?" Robbie asked.

"I'm not sure if we have a choice," Maddie replied, "If we didn't go, Mikey would probably pull some stupid stunt like telling our parents that we, well, drank."

"I guess you're right," said Robbie. The wind picked up, and they quickly tightened their jackets. "Well, I guess we better get going. They said Tony's is at 85th street, right."

"Yeah." So, the two started walking. 85th street was all the way downtown. By the time the two got there, it was nearly sunset. The streets were cold, and practically lifeless.

"What was the number again?" Maddie asked.

"They never said, they just said it was on 85th street," replied Robbie. Just then, Mikey jumped out of nowhere.

"They you guys are!" the chubby, green eighth grader shouted, "Took you long enough. Come on, everyone else is already here." Maddie and Robbie followed Mikey down an alley between two brick buildings. There were a couple dumpsters, about half a dozen trashcans, an old abandoned sofa, and a dozen eight graders.

They were all sitting in a circle, drinking cans of beer and laughing. But some of the others were doing something else.

"You guys smoke?" Robbie asked.

"Well yeah, drinking's cool, but smoking's even cooler!" Mikey replied. "Hey Tony, give me a couple sticks." The kid sitting in the middle of the sofa, wearing a shirt with a T on it, smiled and handed Mikey two cigarettes, who then handed them to Maddie and Robbie. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

They looked at the cigarettes, and then at each other, then back at the cigarettes. No one in their family smoked, and since both Maddie and Robbie were in sports, they had heard plenty about how smoking could ruin their breathing and make it impossible for them to play.

"Just take it already!" shouted a random kid.

"Yeah, you've already drank," said another girl, "like smokin's gonna make a difference."

That's right, they had drank. And drinking beer, was just as bad as smoking. They looked around at all the kids there, barely able to sit up because they were drunk, or coughing after smoking a cigarette. A couple boys were fighting (although it looked like both of them were losing, if that was even possible), and one girl was unconscious on the ground.

They looked back at the cigarettes for a few more moments, and then scowled at them. "Dude," Maddie said, looking at her raccoon friend, "What are we doing here?"

"Huh?" asked Mikey.

"This is stupid," Robbie said, "I'm done."

"Same here," said Maddie. All the other kids started to yell and boo them.

"Wow, you guys are losers!" shouted Mikey, "I can't believe I convinced these guys to let you hang out with us! Get out of here, and stop loser-ing up our hangout."

"Gladly," retorted Maddie. And with that, both kids turned and walked away, dodging empty beer cans as they did.

"I feel like an idiot," said Robbie, once they were out of the alley.

"Same here," said Maddie, "and guilty. I can't believe we almost did that. ...And I can't believe what we did do." Not only did they drink beer, but they had lied to their parents and Skips, and had ignored their true friends to hang out with Mikey and the eighth graders.

"Let's agree to not do something this stupid again," said Robbie, "or at least agree never to follow Mikey again."

"Done and done," Maddie said with a smile, "Hey, I guess Skips was right. We did make the right choice."

"So, does that mean we're going to tell our parents the truth?"

"... Let's cross that bridge when we come to it."

()()()()()()()()()()

It was a bright and sunny day. Maddie and Robbie were back with their friends, and they were all trying to figure out whether the side dish today was radioactive coleslaw, or mold mixed with leftovers.

"Hey losers," Mikey shouted as the group of sixth graders (plus an eight grader) walked to their table, "Are you wussing out again?" But instead of walking away from Mikey like last time, Maddie and Robbie told their friends to go to the table and they would meet them there.

"You sure?" Kimi asked.

"Yeah, we've got this," replied Robbie.

"Just save us a seat," added Maddie. With that, the two friends walked over to the table.

"Do you guys really think you can hang out with us?" the blonde girl said.

"No lame sixth graders allowed," said the boy.

"Oh, we're not here to hang out," said Maddie.

"We just came here to tell you guys to be careful," continued Robbie.

Everyone just laughed. "Oh come on," said Mikey, "we don't need a couple of sixth graders acting like school counselors telling us to be careful drinking and all that bullcrap."

"Oh, you should be especially careful, Micheal," said Maddie, "I'm sure your family wouldn't be too happy to hear about what you've been doing."

"So what, you're going to squeal on him?" asked another boy, looking disgusted and holding a piece of food, ready to throw it at the two.

"No," said Robbie, "We may not like you, but we're not going to tattle. We're just saying, people can do stupid things when they're drunk."

"If you do it too much, you may just get caught," said Maddie, "Now, your dad may go a little easier on you, but we've all seen your mom mad. It's not pretty."

"But hey, that's nothing compared to what will happen if your _grandma _finds out," Robbie reminded.

According to Mikey's face, it looked as if he had just seen a vision of his own horrible death.

"Um, hey you know what guys," Mikey said to the kids at his table, "I think I'll skip tonight's party. Maybe I could use a break from this stuff." The others looked at him, shocked, while Maddie and Robbie just smiled. They started to walk away, secretly giving each other a high five, and sat down at their table. The right table to sit at.

**Okay, so, was it okay? (Nervous). I had to pause in the middle of writing it to watch my dog while my parents were out (It's a new dachshund puppy, her name is Rigby). But I hope this was as good as you thought it would be. I have two more ideas I'd like to do, and I'm hoping to have one more chapter up today if possible. If I did manage to write another chapter, it would be late at night since I've got a bunch of other things to do today. If not today, it will probably be up early tomorrow morning or tomorrow night (but not in between since I have school). **

**Anyway, please review (I always like to hear feedback on chapters I'm not quite sure about so I can improve). Have a nice day! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

**Me: Sorry I'm...**

**Mad Hatter: We know, you're very late, my dear.**

**Me: ... wha? How did...? Nevermind. Sorry it took so long, but here's the new chapter. For the first time in, what, 14 chapters? We focus on the parents, Mordecai, Rigby, Margaret and Eileen. It's kind of the first part of a two part chapter. You'll see what I mean at the end. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!**

"Hello!" greeted a young waitress, around college age, wearing that familiar yellow uniform.

"Hey," replied Mordecai, offering a kind smile. The girl blushed slightly, but Mordecai didn't really notice. He just walked to his usual table, first row 3rd from the front. As he sat, he noticed another waitress over at a table, laughing with a guy.

"So, I'll pick you up at eight?" the guy asked.

"Sure!" replied the girl, who was about seventeen.

"I'll be counting the minutes," the guy said smoothly, making the girl giggle. Mordecai couldn't help but roll his eyes. 'How corny can you get?' But still, he couldn't help but notice how happy they were. "Hmmm."

Just then, the door opened, and feet scampered down the stairs. "Sorry I'm late, dude!" Rigby said as he climbed onto one of the chairs.

"It's cool, dude," replied Mordecai.

"Great," said Rigby, "uh, hey, you're paying right?" The bluejay gave him a look. "Please?"

"Fine!" Mordecai said, giving in, "But you're paying next time." Whenever the two had the day off, and weren't busy with anything else, they would meet each other at the coffee shop. While they didn't hang out as much simply because they each had their own lives, they still always had time for some 'Joe with Bro' time.

The two friends ordered their usual coffee and a little dessert, and the college waitress brought it to them. "So dude," Mordecai said to Rigby as the raccoon started to eat his slice of chocolate cake, "I was thinking about taking Margaret out on a date night."

Rigby looked up. "A date night?" he repeated.

"Yeah," said Mordecai, "I mean, we haven't been on one in a while, and she's been kinda stressed out because of all the crap at the office, so I thought it would just be nice."

"Dude, you guys are married," Rigby explained, "which means you don't need to go on dates anymore. I mean, that's what dates are for right? To make her want to marry you?"

"Rigby, married couples still go on dates," Mordecai said, rolling his eyes at his naive friend, "Girls like to keep their lives romantic, and go to fancy dinners and shows and stuff like that."

"Me and Eileen are plenty romantic," Rigby said defensively, "We still say we love each other and all that mushy stuff, and we kiss, and every once in a while, she puts on this fancy smelling perfume and we-..."

"Stop!" Mordecai said, holding up his hand. He really didn't want to hear the details. "Just, don't. So, you're saying you haven't taken Eileen on a date since you were married?"

"Well, we've gone to a movie and dinner for just the two of us a few times," said Rigby, thinking back, "but she's always planned it."

Mordecai just looked at him. "Dude, how are you still married?"

There was a flash of worry on Rigby's face. "Do you really think she would leave me if I didn't take her on a date?"

Mordecai shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe not, since she can put up with you a lot better than most of us. But still, it couldn't hurt to take her on a date just in case. How about we all go on a double date? Girls love that kind of stuff."

"Well, Eileen has this Friday off," said Rigby.

"So does Margaret," replied Mordecai, "So that settles it, Friday night."

"Oh, oh! I know what we can do!" Rigby shouted, "There's a monster truck derby that night!" "..." "What?"

"I'll decide what we do," said Mordecai. Rigby pouted.

()()()()()()()()()

"So, you guys are going on a date night?"

Maddie and Robbie had been playing a video game when Mordecai and Rigby came back from the coffee shop, and after they told their wives, they told their kids about the plan.

"Yep," said Rigby.

"So, does that mean we'll have a babysitter?" Robbie asked.

"Well, kind of," replied Mordecai with a smile, "We figured you guys would want to do something a little more exciting, so we decided that you can go camping while we're at date night."

"What! Really?/Are you serious?"

"Yep," replied Mordecai, "Benson and Pops will be there too, but they just there to watch you. Other than that, you'll pretty much be on your own." The kids cheered, and Mordecai and Rigby smiled at each other.

"See, I told you they would like it," said Rigby. Both kids liked camping, but Robbie had only done it once all summer, and Maddie didn't go at all. So this was definitely a pleasant surprise.

Throughout the rest of the week, plans were thought of and reservations were made. By the time Friday came, everything was ready. This date night was going to be perfect!

"Did you remember the snacks?"

"Yep, did you remember the extra batteries for the DS's?"

"Right here!"

Maddie and Robbie had their bags stacked in front of Benson's car. Benson and Pops were taking care of the tent and sleeping bags. After a quick goodbye to their parents, they were off.

Once the kids were gone, Mordecai and Rigby got ready. Mordecai picked out a dark blue dress shirt with a black tie and black pants. Rigby didn't wear any clothes at all, just a striped tie. He also combed his hair, making it look neat and shiny.

"Dude, how do I look?" Mordecai asked.

"You look fine, stop worrying," replied Rigby, not even looking at his friend, "remember, you guys are already married, so it's not like you have to impress her."

"I know, but..." Mordecai smiled, thinking of his wife, his crush, the girl of his dreams. "I just want to make this night perfect for her."

"Well, aren't you the romantic?" Rigby teased, laughing. Mordecai punched him in the shoulder. "Ow! Why!"

"Hey, are you guys ready?" they heard Margaret shout from the other room.

"Yeah, be out in a sec!" Mordecai shouted back. He then turned to Rigby. "Come on, dude. Showtime."

The two walked into the living room, and saw what their wives were wearing. Margaret's hair was in the same style, but it was a lot shinier. She was wearing a strapless black dress and a white pearl necklace. Her makeup added to her beauty, and the dress complimented her figure perfectly. In Mordecai's eyes, she was perfect.

As for Eileen, she knew Rigby didn't care for the fancy stuff, so she kept it simple yet elegant. She wore a red dress with gold jewelry, and she had put her long, brown hair in a bun. She wore her contacts, and added just a little bit of blush to her face for color. 'I guess she does look pretty good,' Rigby thought, blushing a little.

"Hey girls," said Mordecai, "ready to go."

"Yep, all set," replied Margaret, grabbing her purse. Mordecai smiled, and put his wing around her as they walked out to the car.

"So, where are we going?" Eileen asked Rigby.

"Oh, you know," said Rigby, trying to act cool, "A romantic dinner, movie, stuff like that."

Eileen smiled. "That sounds really fun. I can't wait." Rigby smiled slightly.

The group of four got into the car (Mordecai and Margaret in the front, Rigby and Eileen in the back), and drove to their first stop of the evening.

()()()()()()()()

"What do you mean we don't have a reservation!"

Chez Amour was the fanciest restaurant in town. If you didn't have a reservation, you didn't have a chance of getting in. Mordecai had made the reservation at the beginning of the week, but unfortunately, they still weren't getting into the restaurant.

"Sir, I do not have a 'Quintel' on this list," said the waiter, looking at his book.

"Aw, come on!" Mordecai protested. They had been waiting in a line for twenty minutes, they were getting in that restaurant. "I know I made that reservation! Besides, I should get some sort of freebie. You see that mural of Paris outside? I painted that for you guys, you owe me!"

"I've never seen you before in my life," answered the waiter, glaring at the group of four, specifically Mordecai and Rigby.

"Dude, just check the list again and let us in!" Rigby shouted, "we're trying to be all romantic with our wives!"

The stiff waiter didn't look impressed, but he checked again anyway. "Well, I have a 'Quntella' on here..."

'The name must've got mixed up over the phone,' Mordecai thought. "Uh, yeah! That's me! Mordecai Quntella!"

The waiter just gave him a look. "I don't believe you. Next!"

The two husbands groaned and walked back to their wives. Just before they left, Rigby turned around. "Oh yeah, well guess what? Your food sucks anyway! Ohhhh!" And with that, the raccoon ran out, hoping the waiter didn't call security.

"You do realize they'll never let us in now, right?" Mordecai asked.

"It was worth it," Rigby replied.

"Well, thanks for trying," Margaret said, giving them both a small smile, "besides, there are dozens of restaurants, I'm sure we can find one good one to eat at."

"Oh! A new sushi place opened a block away from here," Eileen suggested, "We can eat there."

The two 'bros' gave her a look. "Sushi?" Rigby repeated.

"Isn't that like raw fish?" Mordecai asked.

"Most of it, yes," Eileen answered, "but it's really good."

"I've always wanted to try sushi," Margaret added.

"Well, if you guys are up for it," Mordecai said. Rigby opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced with one glare from Mordecai. "Alright, sushi it is!"

The sushi place wasn't quite as romantic as Chez Amour. It was a lot noisier, and there were more parties and families there rather than couples. But, they had a table free, so they ate there.

"Whoa!" said Rigby when he saw a chef grilling shrimp on a giant grill, "Cool! I'll be right back!" Mordecai rolled his eyes, while Margaret and Eileen just giggled. It may've been annoying to Mordecai, but it was kinda cute when Rigby acted like a little kid. While Rigby watched the show, the three of them talked. Even with the noisy atmosphere, they could still carry a good conversation.

Shortly after Rigby returned to the table, their food arrived. There was plenty to eat, they just didn't know _what _to eat.

"Here, try this," said Eileen, pointing at a piece of fish and rice rolled up, "It's a _Tdoka Mao_, a tuna roll."

"You speak Japanese?" Mordecai asked, impressed.

"Only a little," Eileen said.

"Mordecai, dude, dip this one in the brown sauce!" suggested Rigby, holding up a piece of salmon. So Mordecai picked up a piece and dipped it in soy sauce, and Margaret followed.

"Mmm, so good!" said Margaret.

"Yeah, this is pretty good!" agreed Mordecai. He smiled. This place wasn't super romantic or quiet or even fancy, but even so, it was still a great place to eat, and to take someone on a date.

After they all finished eating and paid the bill, it was back in the car. "So, where to now, guys?" Margaret asked.

"You'll see," Mordecai said with a smile.

After about ten minutes, they arrived at a familiar place. "Mini golf?" Margaret asked. She smiled. She remembered years ago, when they all had first came her as a double date. Rigby still didn't want to be around Eileen, and to Margaret, the date was just her repaying a solid to a friend. Although, years later, she wished it would've been a true date. 'I still can't believe it took me so long,' the cardinal thought, looking at her husband.

"I just thought it could be something fun we could do," Mordecai said, "and then afterwards we can go to a movie or something. So, is this okay?"

"Yeah Mordecai, this is great," replied Margaret, still smiling. Mordecai smiled back. He then walked over to the cashier, and paid for the admission and got the golf balls.

Five holes later, they were at the giant wind mill. Mordecai and Margaret had both taken their turns, and had gotten it in after two or three shots. It was Rigby's turn now.

"No pressure, dude!" Mordecai shouted. If Rigby didn't make this shot a hole in one, it would be impossible to get out of last place.

"Stop talking!"

"Rigby," said Eileen, "take a couple steps to the right."

"Huh?" Rigby said, confused, "Um, okay." He moved a couple steps to the right.

"Okay, wait," said Eileen. The blade was just now moving in front of the hole. "Okay, shoot now." Rigby hit the ball, and it went into the hole right after the blade passed over it. The ball rolled through, and landed right in the hole.

"Ohhhhh! In your face, Mordecai!" Rigby shouted. Eileen giggled. "Eileen, how'd you know it would go in?"

"It was just simple geometry," replied Eileen, shrugging her shoulders, "No big deal."

"Geo-wha? Uh, I mean, cool!"

The group continued playing through, although at the thirteenth hole, they ran into some trouble. Sitting on the plastic Mayan Temple, were two strong looking guys who didn't even look like they were playing. They were just drinking cans of soda (the only drink available there), and the empty ones had been thrown all around the hole.

"Hey, dudes!" Mordecai shouted, getting their attention, "could you please leave?"

"Yeah, we're trying to play!" Rigby added. One of the guys gave them a rude hand gesture and went back to drinking. "Hey!"

"Come on guys, let's just play through," suggested Margaret.

"No, it's fine, I'll handle it," said Mordecai, "Come on Rigby." The two friends walked over to the Mayan Temple. "Hey, I was asking you guys if you could please leave."

"Well, what are you gonna do about it, Birdie?" one of the guys asked, chuckling, "sick your pet raccoon on me?"

"Pet! Oh, that is it!" Rigby jumped up, trying to tackle the guy, but he just kicked Rigby in the chest. He landed on the fake grass with a hard thud. "Ow."

"Rigby!" Mordecai turned back to the guys. He raised his fists and actually managed to hit them a couple times, but then one of the guys gave him a hard punch to the neck and sent him straight to the ground.

Mordecai and Rigby heard the two guys laughing, and tried to get up, but stopped when they heard the guys screaming. They looked up, and saw Eileen spraying them with pepper spray.

"That's for hurting my Rigby," Eileen said simply, glaring at the two.

"And this, is for hurting mine!" Margaret yelled. She raised her purse, and hit them both in the head. Margaret didn't stop until the guys decided it wasn't worth it and ran off. "Yeah, you guys better run!" She then turned to look at (a very shocked) Mordecai and Rigby. Her face went from anger to concern.

"Are you guys okay?" Eileen asked as she and Margaret ran over to them.

"Yeah we're fine, no big deal," said Mordecai, forcing himself to give a small smile.

"Yeah, no big deal," repeated Rigby.

"Maybe we should go," Margaret said, "It's already been a great night, it wouldn't be that big of a deal if it ended early." Mordecai sat up. He didn't want the date night to end just because he and Rigby were hurt.

"No, it's fine! We're fine!" the bluejay said, quickly standing up, "Come on, let's keep going. After all, the night's still young."

Margaret chuckled. "Well, alright," she said, wrapping a wing aroung him, "come on, superhero." They both walked towards the next hole, with Rigby and Eileen following.

They finished the rest of the twenty-six holes after half an hour or so, and they had ended the game laughing and enjoying themselves.

"Dude, this night is going great!" Mordecai said to Rigby as they handed the cashier their golfballs.

"Well, it's fun, but I don't know how this is supposed to be romantic and junk," asked Rigby, "we could've done this stuff with the kids here."

Mordecai scowled at him. "Well, it's gonna get romantic! We're taking them to that new super romantic movie next. If that isn't perfect date material, I don't know what is. Just trust me, Dude, I've got everything planned out."

"Whatever you say," replied Rigby, rolling his eyes a little. As the bird and raccoon walked back to the car, they saw Margaret and Eileen talking.

"Uh, hey," said Mordecai, getting their attention, "You guys ready to go see the movie?"

"Actually," said Eileen, "We were thinking of deciding the next place to go. You guys don't mind, do you?"

"Um, no?" Rigby said, a little unsure.

"I guess not," said Mordecai.

"Great," said Margaret with a smile. She opened the car door, and got in on the driver's side. "Well, come on!" Mordecai and Rigby looked at each other, and then got into the car.

This time, the drive took longer than all the others had, nearly forty minutes. But finally, they stopped. "The pier?" Mordecai asked.

"You guys want to come here?" Rigby asked.

"Yeah, there aren't that many people here since the weather's getting colder," explained Margaret, "and we just thought it would be a nice change." The girls got out of the car, and shut their doors.

"I thought you said girls wanted romantic stuff," Rigby asked.

"Well, maybe they like pier stuff too," Mordecai said quickly, getting out of the car.

As soon as the four were on the pier, they walked down in it pairs of two, hand-in-hand. Every once in a while, there would be an interesting looking window at a shop, and they would stop to look. There were a couple carnival games there too. They played wack-a-mole and a strength testing game. They also all got cotton candy.

"Huh, you wouldn't think sushi and cotton candy would work," said Mordecai as he and Margaret ate their treat, "but hey, there you go." Margaret just laughed.

After twenty more minutes of walking, talking, laughing and enjoying themselves, they arrived at the end of the pier. There was a smaller pier to the right, but there wasn't much on it. On the corner, where the two met, there were a couple benches.

"Let's sit down," suggested Rigby, "this place is fun but my feet are killing me!" Since he and Eileen were still holding hands, Rigby led her to the bench, although Eileen didn't seem to mind. "Are you guys sitting down too?"

"Actually, I was thinking we could go for a walk," said Margaret. She turned to her husband. "Mordecai, is that alright with you?"

"Yeah, sure!" Mordecai replied. The two birds started to walk down the smaller pier, leaving Rigby and Eileen all by themselves.

The two sat in silence, watching the sunset. The sun was nearly set, so the sky was mostly dark with just a few splashes of red and yellow. "Hey, Eileen?" Rigby spoke up.

"Yeah Rigby?"

"Um, are you like, mad at me for not taking you on a date for like ten years?"

"No," Eileen answered, looking at her husband, "why would I be mad?"

"Because Mordecai said that girls like to have romantic stuff in their lives," explained Rigby, "and if they don't, then they get mad at the guys, because they're supposed to take them out on dates even though they're already married."

Eileen couldn't help but smile. "Rigby, just because we don't go on dates doesn't mean there's no love in our lives."

"That's what I said to Mordecai!" Eileen then happily wrapped her arms around her husband in a hug, and Rigby hugged back.

"You're plenty romantic," said Eileen, "just in your own way."

'My own way, huh?' Rigby thought with a smile. Surprising Eileen, Rigby grabbed her arm, and pulled her towards him until their lips met. They stayed like that for a minute, and then they broke the kiss. Eileen looked at him, smiling with her eyes half opened.

"Well, that's one example," she said before closing her eyes, and kissing Rigby again.

Meanwhile, Mordecai and Margaret had just reached the end of the small pier. There was a small band playing, just an accoustic guitar, keyboard and small drum set. They were playing the melody of an old 80's song. Mordecai gave them a five dollar bill, and then walked over to the edge of the pier to be by Margaret.

"This was really nice," said Margaret, "I really needed this. Thanks Mordecai."

Mordecai smiled, and took his wife's hand. Her scarlet feathers reflected the sunset, and a calm breeze blew past her hair. She was so beautiful. Mordecai felt like he was twenty three again, seeing Margaret for the first time. He chuckled when he remembered how nervous he used to be around her. Things had definitely changed.

Just then, the band started to play a song. A slow, very romantic song. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" Mordecai asked.

"What exactly are you saying?" Margaret asked, pretending she didn't know what he was talking about.

"May I have this dance?" the bluejay asked, bowing a little.

"Yes," she replied, smiling. As he walked her onto the middle of the pier, he looked into her eyes, her sapphire eyes, and it felt as if they were the only ones there.

The two birds started swaying to the music, moving completely in sinc. Mordecai held up Margaret's hand and slowly turned her, catching her when it was complete. They continued dancing, and the band kept playing. It may've been a corny thought, but to both of them, it felt like magic.

"Mordecai," said Margaret softly, as she closed her eyes and placed her head on his shoulder.

"Hmm." He held her close, and she lifted her head. The two got even closer, until finally, their beaks met. The kiss got deeper, more passionate, both of them craving more. Eventually, they had to break the kiss, they were practically breathless when they did.

"Whoa," Mordecai breathed. He almost couldn't believe. The night had gotten such a bad start, and there had been some twists and turns, but none of that mattered now.

"I love you Mordecai," Margaret said, smiling at her husband, her wings still around him.

"I love you too," Mordecai replied before going in for another kiss.

"What took you guys so long?" Rigby asked when the couple returned to the benches, "You were gone for like half an hour."

"Oh you know, just taking a walk," said Mordecai, sharing a smile with Margaret. The two birds sat down, and the two couples just simply talked and enjoyed each other's company. It was almost ten when they decided to start heading home.

As Mordecai drove home, he saw through one of the mirrors that Rigby and Eileen were fast asleep. Eileen had a tired but happy smile on her face, and Rigby had his mouth open, snoring. They were both leaning against each other, almost cuddling.

'They really do look kinda cute together,' Mordecai though with a small smile. He wrapped his wing around Margaret and pulled her close, allowing her to lean on him.

Once they got a little closer to Mordecai's house, where Rigby's car was parked, Mordecai woke the sleeping couple.

"*Yawn*, well, I guess that was a good idea, Mordecai," said Rigby after he woke up.

"Definitely," agreed Eileen, smiling.

"Maybe the next time we all have the day off, we can do this again," suggested Margaret.

"Yeah," smiled Mordecai, "that sounds ni-..." He then noticed a red car parked outside his house, "Is that Benson's car?"

"Huh?" The bluejay quickly parked, and all four parents got out of the car.

Benson, Pops and the kids were out of the car too. They all looked tired, wet, and covered head to toe in mud.

"What happened!" Margaret asked, shocked. Both kids gave a nervous laugh.

"Well Mom, it's kinda a funny story," replied Maddie, trying to give an innocent smile.

**So, what happened while they were on Date Night? You'll have to read the next chapter to find out ;) **

**I hope you all enjoyed this, and I hope it wasn't too corny or OOC. I always like kinda romantic chapters (my parents and a few of my friends call me a hopeless romantic, lol). As I was writing the dancing scene, I was listening to 'So Close' by Jon McLaughlin. For you Disney fans, the song was in the movie 'Enchanted' (which is very good). It's a very beautiful song. Kinda sad towards the end, but still beautiful.**

**So yeah, hope you all liked this. Please review and I'll see you in the next chapter :) **


	18. Chapter 18

"We figured you guys would want to do something a little more exciting, so we decided that you can go camping while we're at date night."

Robbie's eyes widened. He looked up at his dad and Maddie's dad. "Really!" he said, while Maddie said "Are you serious?"

"Yep," Mordecai replied, "Benson and Pops will be there too, but they just there to watch you. Other than that, you'll pretty much be on your own."

"Awesome!" Robbie and Maddie cheered.

Robbie loved going camping with his parents, it was always fun. They would have family hotdog eating contests, his mom would tell him all about the different plants and constellations, and he and his dad would play head-to-head mode on their portable game systems.

But while Robbie loved all that, he had always wanted to go camping by himself. This was even better, he was going camping with his best friend. This was going to be the best camping trip ever!

On Friday night, the young raccoon had just finished packing. His bag was stuffed with games, books, a pair of bionoculars, some matches (Robbie was a pro at starting campfires, even without matches), a flashlight, a map of the campgrounds, and a spare pair of glasses, just in case. He was also taking a small cooler with hot dogs and sodas in it. The tent and sleeping bags were being provided by Benson and Pops.

"Hey sweetie, are you ready to go?" Eileen asked, poking her head in her son's room.

"Yep, all packed," answered Robbie. He put his backpack on, and walked out of his room with a smile on his face. The family all got in the car, and drove to Mordecai's house. By the time they got there, Maddie was already outside, putting all her things in Benson's car.

"Hello!" Pops greeted, cheerfully. The lolliman had his own pair of bionoculars around his neck, as well as a safari hat.

"Hey Pops," Rigby and Robbie replied in unison.

"Thanks for taking the kids camping," Eileen said to Benson and Pops.

"No trouble at all, my dear Eileen," Pops said with a smile.

"Yeah, no problem," agreed Benson. Soon, it was time to go. The kids waved goodbye to their parents, and they were off.

As they drove to the camping grounds, Pops happily sang along with the radio while the kids either laughed or sang along with him. Benson didn't sing and he tried to concentrate on the road, but even the grumpy gumball machine couldn't help but smile a little.

When they were about ten minutes away from the camp site, Benson turned the radio down. "Okay guys, before we get there," Benson began, "we need to set some ground rules."

The kids groaned, but Benson gave them a stern look. The pair quickly quieted. "Okay, number one: You guys are allowed to walk around by yourselves, but you need to tell us before you leave, and you're not allowed to go in any restricted areas."

"I have a map in my bag," Robbie spoke up, "so we'll know what areas to avoid."

"Good," approved Benson, "number two: tell me when you're about to make the campfire." Robbie pouted a little at this. He could practically make a campfire with his eyes closed, he didn't need help or to be watched like a little kid. "Number three: you don't have to camp right next to me and Pops, but you can't camp any farther than say, twenty feet away from us."

"Final rule!" Pops interrupted, "Have fun!"

"Uh yeah, sure, have fun," said Benson.

"We will," the kids said in unison. The car pulled into the campsite, and quickly found an empty spot to camp.

"Ready to go?" Robbie asked Maddie, grabbing his backpack.

"Yeah!" Maddie answered. The two quickly ran off into the woods.

"Remember the rules!" Benson shouted. They shouted back some sort of reply, but they were too far for the gumball machine to understand it. He sighed.

"They'll be fine," Pops said, putting a hand on Benson's shoulders, "after all, they're both quite intelligent, and Robbie is a experienced camper."

"Yeah, I know," said Benson, "but still, you know as well as I do that things always seem to-..."

"Benson," Pops said sternly. Benson looked at his friend. "My good man, they'll be fine," the lolliman said with a soft smile, "Please relax. The trip will be more enjoyable for you that way."

Benson smiled back. "You're right Pops," he said, "I should just..."

Pops gasped. "Oh my!" He lifted up his bionoculars. "What a beautiful birdie! Good show!" Bionoculars still to his face, Pops began to walk forward. Benson smiled and shook his head. 'Guess we're going on a nature hike,' he thought as he followed the gent.

"Here looks like a good spot," said Robbie, setting down his bag and cooler. Maddie placed her bag on the ground too, and then they both laid out their sleeping bags.

The spot they had chosen had a small dirt area, perfect for building a fire, a couple logs, and soft grass to lay on. The small clearing was surrounded by huge oak trees, so there was plenty of shade, but there was also a perfect window for looking at stars. It truly was the perfect spot.

*Drip* "Huh?" Robbie looked up.

"What's wrong?" Maddie asked.

"I thought I felt a raindrop," Robbie replied. But the skies were completely clear. "Weird."

"Well, should we build the fire first, or should we start hiking?" Maddie asked.

"Definitely hiking," answered Robbie, "We only have like three hours left of daylight left, and there are some really cool spots I found the last time I was here. They aren't that far away, Benson won't even notice we're gone."

"Okay," said Maddie. The two picked up their bags, and started walking. Robbie had the map out, but even without it he knew exactly where he was going.

The first stop was a huge oak tree. It was about forty feet wide, with a small burrow at the base of the trunk. "Wow," said Maddie, "this tree must be like a hundred years old."

"Probably older," said Robbie. After a few minutes of checking out the burrow and the tree itself, they started walking to the next stop. This time, it was a long waterfall. The water shone in the sunlight, it looked so beautiful.

*Drip* "Oh!" Maddie said. Robbie turned to look at her. "I think I got splashed or something," she replied. She could've sworn she felt a raindrop.

Just then, she heard a deep growl from beside her. "I think it's snack time," joked Robbie, "I brought some snacks and... they're in the cooler." He facepalmed. "Guess we'll have to head back." He couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, there was one more spot he wanted to show Maddie.

"No we don't," Maddie said with a smile. She opened her bag, and pulled out a small baggie with two chocolate chip cookies in it. Robbie licked his lips, and Maddie giggled. Together, they sat on a giant rock and ate the cookies.

"Those tasted awesome," Robbie said.

"Yeah they did," replied Maddie, "So, where to now?"

"Well, there's just one place left. It's only half a mile from here." The raccoon jumped off the rock. "See if you can keep up!" He then ran into the forest.

"Hey!" Laughing, Maddie chased after Robbie and eventually caught up to him. Once they were almost there, they slowed down. This part of the forest was always so tranquil and peaceful, and yet there were always hidden surprises. That's what Robbie loved most about the forest.

"Okay, we're here," said Robbie. He got down on all fours, and crawled under a bush. "Don't worry, there's no thorns or anything." Knowing that, the violet bird followed her friend through the bush. Once she was through, she couldn't believe the sight.

It was a small path, but it wasn't a path of dirt. It was a path of flowers. The flowers were a mix of baby blue, white and violet all mixed into one flower. The flowers were as big as a sunflower, and the petals were pointed. They looked almost as if they belonged in the jungle, and there were literally hundreds of them.

"I know you're not super girly," Robbie said, "but even you have to admit this is pretty cool."

"Yeah, this is cool," Maddie said with a smile, "You sure are good at finding things like this." Robbie smiled proudly, but then quickly tried to look like it was no big deal to him. "You sure you're not just looking up where to find these things on the internet?" she joked.

"What kind of camper would I be if I did that?" Robbie replied, pretending to act angry. The two laughed, and looked back at the path of flowers. "I'm not even sure what these things are called. Someone must've planted them here, cause I don't think they come from here."

They stayed at the path a little longer until Maddie spoke up. "We should get going," she said, "before Benson blows his top." They had been gone for nearly half an hour, so their absents had probably already been noticed. But Pops was there, so they didn't have to worry about Benson getting too upset since someone was there to calm him down.

"Yeah, I want to cook some hotdogs anyway," said Robbie. He then took out his map. "Okay, this is easy, we just need to follow this river here, and it'll lead us right back to the side of the woods where our campsite is."

"Great!" said Maddie, "Let's go."

The two began walking, looking at random animals and plants or talking as they traveled. "Alright," said Robbie after about ten minutes, "The river should be..." He looked up. "Here?"

There was nothing, just more grass. "You sure?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, I traveled through these campgrounds like twenty times, I think I know where to find a river," said Robbie, trying to act like he knew what to do. But in his head, he couldn't help but feel a little confused. Did the river dry up?

"There's the river!" Robbie looked where Maddie was pointing, and sure enough, there was the river. "Guess these maps aren't as good as they say," she commented.

Robbie stuffed the map in his pocket and followed Maddie to the river. He then heard soft giggles. "Don't laugh at me!" he snapped, "it was the map's fault!"

"I'm not laughing!" Maddie said defensively. Robbie gave her a look. "Honest!" With that, she continued walking. Robbie scowled, but eventually shrugged it off. Giggling wasn't something to get mad enough. "Follow the river west, and we should be at our campsite in fifteen minutes. Twenty at the most."

"Okay." The walk was silent, with only the small chirping of forest birds.

The river seemed to run faster then Robbie would've though. He was pretty sure this river wasn't connected to the waterfall. So why was it going so fast? The river also had a lot of curves, and in weird places too, like in-between trees.

Fifteen minutes passed. Then twenty minutes. Then thirty. After almost an hour, the sun was starting to set, and the duo still weren't at their campsite.

"I'm sure this was the right way," Robbie growled, feeling frusterated. He never got lost in the forest, not even when he was little. He could read maps perfectly, and even when he couldn't find where he was at on the map, his common sense (which thankfully most of it he got from his mother) would guide him the right way.

"Benson's going to be so mad by the time we get back," Maddie mumbled, thinking out loud to herself.

"I know!" Robbie snapped, "You don't have to remind me!"

"I wasn't" Maddie shouted, now glaring at the raccoon, "and _you _don't have to yell at me!"

"Well, it's half your fault we got lost!"

"How is any of this my fault? You're the one who led the nature hike!"

"You spotted at took us down the wrong river!"

"_You're _the one who told me to follow a stupid river in the first place!"

"You didn't have to follow me, you could've taken whatever trail you wanted!"

"Yeah, and I would probably be back by now!"

"Annoying!"

"Rat!"

"You're just...!" Robbie yelled, but both he and Maddie were interrupted by a splash from the river that got them both wet, as if it was trying to break up their fight. They looked to see what had caused the splash, but nothing was there.

They both looked at each other, and sighed. "I'm sorry I yelled," mumbled Robbie.

"Yeah, me too," said Maddie. They were quiet for a few minutes. "I know it wasn't your fault."

"It wasn't yours either," replied Robbie, "just a mistake or something."

"But, for the record, the places you took us to were pretty cool."

Robbie gave her a small smile, but it quickly disappeared. "Yeah well, it's probably a good thing we saw them when we had the chance, cause we'll never be allowed to camp by ourselves again. I guess that's why I was so mad."

"Camping means that much to you?" Maddie asked.

"It's not just camping," Robbie said, "It's just exploring the forest. Looking for new plants or animals or secret spots or whatever. Just seeing what I can find out here that no one's ever seen before." The raccoon's eyes seemed to brighten a little while talking about this. "And I don't just want to do it here, I want to go to places like Africa and the Rainforest. Who knows, maybe I'll find a plant that cures all diseases or something." Robbie frowned. "But until I'm all grown up, I'm stuck exploring this forest, and after this, I'll be lucky to even get five feet away from my parents next time we go camping."

Needless to say, Maddie was a little surprised. Robbie knew all about her dreams of becoming a pro baseball player, but before now, she hardly knew anything about what Robbie wanted to be when he grew up. But like Rigby, Robbie just kept somethings to himself.

"Well, in that case," said Maddie, "You can blame this all on me." Robbie looked up at the violet bird. "Say I thought I knew a short-cut, or I got us lost on purpose to play a trick on you or whatever. I don't mind getting in a little trouble." She gave him a smile.

"Really?" Robbie asked. Maddie nodded. "Wow, that's... Thanks Maddie."

"What are best friends for?" she asked, "Now..." She placed her hand in the water. "Think fast!" She splashed the cold water in the raccoon's face.

"Oh, you are so going to get it!" He splashed Maddie back, and they continued this back in forth until they were both laughing. Once they calmed down a little, they smiled at each other.

"Well, we better get going," Maddie said, standing up, "With you leading the way, I'm sure we'll find our way back eventually."

"Yeah, let's go," Robbie said with a smile. Maddie began to walk forward. Unfortunately, she didn't notice the puddle of water that had magically appeared out of nowhere. The puddle made the already wet ground wetter and even more slippery. Her foot hit the ground the right way, and it slipped right under her.

She let out a yelp. "Maddie!" Robbie quickly grabbed her wing, and they both fell into the fast flowing river. Luckily, both of them knew how to swim. The river began to get bigger, and faster, almost as if it was transforming into a whole new river.

"Quick, try to grab onto something!" Robbie shouted over the rushing waters.

"Okay!" The two kids looked all over for a rock, a branch, anything! While they were looking, they looked ahead, and their jaws dropped. "A whirlpool!" Maddie shouted, "Are you serious!"

"Hold on!" Robbie yelled, bracing himself. He felt his body start to be swirled around and smashed around by the hard, cold water. He felt his top half sink into the water, then his neck, then his whole neck. Then, everything went dark.

()()()()()()()()

The raccoon moaned. His eyes slowly began to open. It was pitch black. No, wait, there were small, glowing blue cracks in the cave walls and ceiling. Wait, he was in a cave?

Robbie sat up, and looked around. The rock floor was mostly covered in water, and in the middle was a huge lake. There were only small amounts of blue light, so he could see but just barely. Good thing he wasn't afraid of the dark anymore. "Maddie?"

He heard a cough. "Over here." He saw a dark figure with a beak sit up, and assumed it was Maddie. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," Robbie answered, "I've seen caves here, but I've never gone in any of them. We could be anywhere."

"Well, better lost and alive than dead," replied Maddie. She crawled over to Robbie, so he could see her a little more clearly (miraculously, Robbie's glasses were still on his face).

"We need to find a way out of here," Robbie said, "Oh, I have my flashlight, we can use that to look for a way out!" He took off his backpack, and opened it. His bag was filled with water. "Aw, what!" He dumped out the water, but the stuff in his bag was already totally soaked. "Aw man!"

"Well, the flashlight _could _still work," said Maddie, "I mean, it's worth a shot." Robbie took out the flashlight, and turned it on, and it actually stayed lit for a moment. But then the light fizzled out and the flashlight started to spark. Robbie yelped, and dropped it. As soon as it hit the hard floor, the noise echoing throughout the silent cave, both kids could hear small gasps and whispers.

"Who's out there?" Robbie asked, "Come on, show yourselves!" No one came out, but more worried whispers could be heard.

"We promise, we won't hurt you," Maddie shouted, "just show us who you are." Silence. But then, a couple blue floating lights came out of the cracks. They floated towards the two. When the lights got close enough, they could see what they really were. It looked like a small lady. The head and torso of a human girl with blue pale skin, but the white tail of a seahorse. The creatures also had bright purple, fairy-like wings.

"I know what they are!" Robbie said, excitedly, "They're water sprites! Remember what Skips told us last Tuesday?" They could both remember the lesson.

_Water Sprites are creatures of water in all of it's forms. They would live by very wet areas, rivers, lakes, on islands, and even in the Arctic. They could control water but suspending it in mid air, freezing it, or using it to defend themselves. They are shy creatures, but some can be tricksters. One Water Sprite could control a small portion of a river. A dozen could control the whole river. People use to give offerings in hopes to please the Water Sprites so they would bring water to dry crops. _

"I thought Skips said they were extinct," Maddie said.

"'But some could still be out there'," Robbie said, quoting his teacher.

"I guess they were the ones who got us lost," Maddie said, watching as more Water Sprites began to appear.

"But I wonder why they brought us here," Robbie asked. Hearing this, one of the sprites floated above the rest. She let out a loud, long, high whistle. All of sprites floated out and in front of the two kids.

A few sprites began making small bubbles, and spun on top of them using the tips of their tails. Others began to lift up streams of water and danced with them as if they were ribbons. Others made snowflakes start to fall from the stalactites of the cave and dance gracefully through them.

"Wow," Maddie and Robbie said in unison. It was so beautiful and incredible. Their blue lights reflected of the water, making the show seem more magical and the cave seem brighter and brighter.

"This is amazing," Robbie said. He glanced over at his friend, and did a double take. Maddie's wet feathers were also reflecting the blue light, making her have almost a glow to her. With the sparkling snow falling down upon her, she looked so... so...

"Hey, you okay?" Maddie asked, noticing her friend staring at her.

Robbie quickly turned away. "Uh yeah, I'm fine, just tired!" he answered. 'I must be more tired than I thought to think...' He shook these thoughts from his mind, and concentrated on the show.

Finally, the sprites ended the show, giving a bow at the end. Maddie and Robbie both applauded. "Now I know why my mom wanted me to do ballet when I was little," Maddie said, "That was incredible!"

"So does that mean you're going to sign up for ballet lessons now?" Robbie joked.

"Yeah, and then I'll become a space pirate and sing opera on my way to the moon," Maddie said sarcastically. They both laughed, and then stood up.

"Well guys, it's been fun," said Robbie.

"But we've got an angry gumball machine and a lolliman waiting for us," Maddie finished. Since it was much brighter, they could see small holes in the ceiling. They weren't big enough to crawl through, but they could make them bigger. "Let's try to get through up there."

Robbie nodded. They started walking towards the cave wall to start climbing, but were stopped. The sprites started shrieking and begging them to stop.

"Guys, we have to go," said Robbie, "sorry we can't stay for a second show." They continued walking towards the cave walls, despite the protests of the water sprites. Maddie and Robbie both lifted a hand, and placed it on the cave.

The walls began to crumble and shake. Rocks fell from the cave ceiling. The still, calm water was now filled with vibrations and small waves. Now in full panic mode, the sprites dived into the lake, which was slowly becoming a whirlpool.

"What's going on!" Maddie shouted.

"I guess only sprites are allowed to touch the cave!" Robbie yelled back over the loud rumbles of the collapsing cave. "If we don't get out of here, we're gonna be crushed!"

As he looked around for another exit, Robbie didn't even notice the stalactite about to fall on him. "Look out!" Maddie yelled. She quickly grabbed his arm, and quickly pulled him out of the way. The rock narrowly missed him.

"Thanks," Robbie said quickly. There had to be another way out. That's when he spotted the swirling whirlpool. It's where the sprites went, so maybe... "We're going to have to jump for it!"

Maddie looked at the whirlpool. She could clearly remember the last one, how hard and rough it had been. "Robbie, we nearly drowned last time, what's going to happen this time!" How would they even know where this whirlpool would take them?

"You got a better idea?" Robbie asked. Maddie looked around at all the crumbling rock around them. They only had seconds left. "We're just gonna have to go for it, and hope this works out like everything else in our lives."

"...Okay."

They walked closer to the whirlpool. "We'll go on three," said Maddie. Robbie nodded, and they both counted down. "One, two, three!" They took each other's hand, took a deep breath, and jumped in.

()()()()()()()()()

"Where are they!"

Benson pushed through the bushes, his gumballs bright red. It was dark now, and there was still no sign of the kids. He was angry, and worried. But mostly angry.

"Maddie! Robbie!" Pops shouted. He wrapped his arms around himself. "Oh, I hope they're alright." Just then, the ground started to shake violently.

"What the...?"

"Oh my, earthquake!" Pops shouted. Quickly, he grabbed Benson and held him close. Unfortunately for Benson, this meant he could barely breathe.

"Pops, let...!" Before the gumball machine could finish, a giant stream of water shot out of the ground like a giant geysers, knocking both of them off their feet. The water fell on them like a giant tidal wave, soaking them both and covering them with small amounts of mud.

When it was finally over, and when Benson opened his eyes, he saw Maddie sitting on top of him, covered in water and mud. "Oh, uh, hey Benny," she said with a nervous smile. Benson turned and saw Pops and Robbie (who had landed on the lolliman's head), both also covered in water and mud.

"Um, we can totally explain all of this," said Robbie. The gumball machine then looked at the flooded area around them.

"Okay. We're going home."

Everyone gathered up their things, placed them in the car, and they drove out the exit and towards home. Needless to say, the kids got a _very _long lecture from Benson. When they got back to Mordecai's house, the two couples had just arrived.

"What happened!" Margaret asked, shocked. Both kids gave a nervous laugh.

"Well Mom, it's kinda a funny story," replied Maddie, trying to give an innocent smile.

Of course they got grounded, but once they explained about the water sprites (and once they called Skips who confirmed they were real), the punishment was lessened a little, but they were still in trouble for disobeying Benson.

"One and a half weeks?" Robbie repeated. He had already taken a nice hot shower, and was getting ready for bed.

"Yep," said Rigby, "that's what we all agreed on. You're lucky we managed to talk Benson down from three weeks."

"Thanks for that," Robbie replied.

"No problem," replied Rigby, "so, besides the whole 'getting in trouble' thing, how was camping with Maddie."

"It was..." Robbie thought back to the cave. "Uh, it was nice. Goodnight Dad!" And with that, he quickly turned away from the older raccoon.

"Um, okay. Night." Rigby turned out the lights and went to his and his wife's room. The younger raccoon could still see the stunning image of his friend in his head. 'I'm just tired,' he told himself before closing his eyes, 'Really, really tired.'

"Hey Eileen, I think Robbie's getting sick or something."

"Why?" Eileen asked, now concerned, "What happened?"

"Well, I was just in there, asking him how camping with Maddie went. But his face was all red, and he pretty much pushed me out of his room," explained Rigby.

Eileen smiled. "I think I know what's wrong with him."

"What?"

"You'll see, maybe in a few months or years, but it just depends," Eileen said with a smile. Rigby just looked at her, confused. She kissed Rigby, and then told him goodnight.

As Rigby laid there, he still couldn't figure out what Eileen meant. He loved his wife, but she could still be super weird at times.

**:) Hope you all enjoyed this. When I first thought of the dance scene with the sprites, I could see it in my head, and I really thought it looked beautiful, like something you would see in 'Avatar' or something. I really hoped I captured that in the writing. **

**And yes, Robbie is starting to get a small crush. But it hasn't really been made into anything yet, it's really more of a 'Wow I just noticed my friend is really pretty' thing, I wouldn't even call it a crush. Will this feeling grow into something more? ...No comment (I have to keep some things a mystery, don't I?) **

**Anyway, please review, and I'll try to have the next chapter up asap. Until then, have a nice day :D**


	19. Chapter 19

**I am so sorry for the delay. I've just had to deal with a lot of college stuff -.-' Sorry. Anyway, hope you enjoy the chapter :) Also, in case you were wondering what Kimi, Greg and/or Taylor looked like, I just posted a group pic of them on Deviantart. Just google search my name, Mordyfan13. Now, on to the chapter!**

It was the 2nd to last week of October. Most of the leaves had changed color and fallen, and the weather was slowly getting colder. But the sun still shined, which made this perfect weather for:

"An Autumn Sports Tournament?" Maddie asked.

Maddie, Robbie, Kimi, Greg and Taylor were all looking at the poster the secretary just posted outside the main office.

"Oh yeah!" said Taylor, "They do one every year, but I was always busy, s-so I never did it."

"What sports do they have?" Greg asked.

"Aw sweet, they have races!" Robbie shouted happily, "That'll be a piece of cake for me."

"Don't get cocky," Maddie replied, flicking Robbie in the head.

"Hey Maddie, looks like they have softball too," said Kimi, pointing at the poster.

"Really! Awesome!" The rest of the sports were fall related, things like pumpkin rolling, a pecan pie eating contest, and finally, a scavenger hunt. There's also a celebration dance at the end of the games."

"Looks like it's grades vs. grades," Robbie said, rubbing his head, "and the grade with the most points gets an extra large bag of candy for each student."

"Which makes sense, since it looks like the final event is on Halloween," added Greg.

"Huh? Aw, that means we won't go trick-or-treating," Robbie pouted.

"You know, we can just buy our own candy," Maddie reminded.

"It's not really that part I like, I know I can just buy candy," Robbie explained, "I just like watching Dad dress up and try to scare people."

They both remembered last Halloween. Rigby had dressed up as a were-raccoon, and jumped out of peoples bushes after the kids and Mordecai got their candy. One lady he scared so hard, she hit him upside the head with her candy bowl. They both laughed at the memory.

"But, I guess we can miss Dad getting beat up this year," Robbie said, "this sports thing seems like a lot of fun." Everyone agreed.

"Hey losers!" The group turned and saw Mikey with the other eighth graders. "Don't think you sixth graders can actually win! "

"We're a heck of a lot better than you, Micheal!" Maddie shouted back, glaring at the green boy.

"I doubt it," said Mikey. He then took something out of his mouth. "Hey kiddies, think fast!" He threw it hard and fast, and before they even had a chance to duck, it landed in Maddie's hair.

"Aw, so gross!" Maddie groaned as she realised what it was: A wad of wet, sticky gum. Gum that had been in Mikey's mouth! "Get it out, get it out!"

As the eighth graders laughed, Robbie began to growl at them. "Okay, you guys are gonna get it!" he snapped, "We're gonna beat you guys so badly, you guys will have to wear bags over your heads!"

"Aw, that's sweet," said the eighth grade girl in black, "Four eyes over here is defending his girlfriend."

Robbie blushed a little. "S-She's not my girlfriend!"

"See you losers at the games," said another eighth grade boy. With another chorus of laughs, the group walked away.

"Thanks Robbie," Maddie mumbled, feeling embarrassed. She then got angry. "I hate those guys!"

"Just because we're sixth graders doesn't mean they can pick on us," Greg commented, scowling at just thinking about the eighth graders.

"Yeah, everyday sixth graders get pushed in the hallways, or they get shoved to the back of the lunch line," Kimi added, "and there's only like three nice ones, like Taylor."

"I really wish I c-could make them stop bullying you guys," said Taylor, feeling a little guilty.

"It's okay, Tay," said Robbie, "It's not your fault, they're just jerks."

"Yeah, and I say we put those jerks in their place," Maddie said, smiling, "Let's beat those guys and show them who the real kings and queens of the school are!"

The five friends cheered, and some sixth graders in the hall who were listening cheered too. It was official, the games were on!

()()()()()()()())()

"Welcome students, to the thirteenth annual Autumn Sports Tournament. We hope these games teach the values of teamwork, determination, good sportsmanship and fun!"

The principal continued talking about the games, but no one really listened. They were either talking with friends or playing on their cellphones. Each grade had their own color. Sixth grade had blue, seventh had green, and eighth had red. There were nine rounds, and each placing had a point value. 1st is thirty, 2nd is twenty, and 3rd is ten. The grade with the most points won.

"Alright, let the games begin!" The students cheered, and each of them went to their own grade. Robbie and Maddie waved at Taylor and Aaron, and then walked over to their own grade.

"Where are Kimi and Greg?" Robbie asked.

"I'm not su- oh wait! There they are!" Maddie saw the girl and weasel, both dressed in blue, run towards them. "Where were you guys?"

"We're in the newspaper club, remember?" Kimi reminded.

"The teacher wanted us to take pictures, but we can still be in the games," Greg added, "we just had to get pics of the opening ceremony."

"So, what games are up first?" Kimi asked, tightening her ponytail.

"First up are the races," Robbie recited from memory, "three races, two normal and one obstacle course. Then we have an apple bobbing contest and then pumpkin rolling. "

"Awesome," said Maddie, "and you're in all three races, right Robbie?"

"Yep," the raccoon proudly replied, "and we're all in the third race." The teachers allowed for groups to sign up for the third race, and their group of four was perfect.

"Great." Just then, one of the teachers blew their whistle. It was time for the hundred meter dance.

"Good luck, dude!" Greg called out as he and Maddie stood by the track. Kimi was farther up so she could take pictures of the winners the second they crossed the line.

As silly as Robbie could be sometimes, he looked completely focused on the track. Since he was a raccoon after all, he was allowed to run on all fours, which gave him an advantage. Pushing his glasses up, Robbie crouched down. "Hey, raccoon!"

Robbie looked, and saw the eighth grader next to him: a tabby cat who was bigger and a foot taller than him. "Hope you like seeing my tail," he grinned, "cause there's no way you're gonna beat me."

Robbie glared. "Hope you like eating my dust," he replied before turning his attention back on the track. The seventh grader, a human girl, stood in between the two, and as soon as they were all in position, the teacher blew the whistle and they were off.

Robbie shot off like a rocket, his run fast and perfectly paced. 'Ha, that stupid cat thought he was going to beat,' Just then, a flash of orange flew past him, 'Me?' The cat was a foot in front of him, and getting farther ahead by the second. Robbie pushed himself to go faster, but even so, he still only managed to get 2nd Place.

"What happened?" Greg asked.

"It's no big deal," Robbie said, scowling at the clay track as if it were it's fault he lost.

"You're right Robbie, it's not a big deal," said Maddie, almost sounding like an older sibling, "So don't beat yourself up about it, kay?"

"I'm fine," said Robbie, before turning around and walking away.

"What's with him?" Greg asked.

"He's just being overcompetitive again," Maddie said with a sigh. If it was something like video games or bowling, Robbie focused more on the fun but he still liked to win. But when it came to races, he was always in it to win and tended to get a little irritated when he didn't win. "Just give him some space."

The next race began after a ten minute break. This time it was a two hundred-fifty meter dash. The cat was back, and this time the seventh grader competing was a red headed boy. Even when the cat taunted him, Robbie didn't even look. He was determined to win this race.

*Tweeeet!* As soon as he heard the whistle, Robbie ran. By the fifty meter mark, his legs were throbbing and his heart was pounding. But he wasn't going to slow down, if anything else, he was speeding up! 'I'm not stopping until I win!' he mentally told his body. The cat got close, but never passed him. In no time at all, Robbie crossed the finish line. The sixth graders cheered, and Robbie smiled at them... right before collapsing on the track.

"Dude, dude get up." Robbie felt soft feathers lifting him off the dirt covered track. "You okay?"

"Ne-*Pant* Neve-*Pant* been better! *Pant*," Robbie replied. Maddie gave him a look, and then lifted up a cup of water. "I *Pant* I don't-"

"Just shut up and drink, furball," Maddie replied, shoving the water in his paws, "I know you're competitive, but that was kinda stupid. You can't beat yourself up about losing one race. And remember, there's still eight more events. So please don't kill yourself in the obstacle course race." Maddie then gave him a smile. "Cause I really don't have the time to find another best friend."

Robbie gave a small smile back, and chugged the water. There was another ten minute break, and Robbie spent it relaxing with a smile on his face. He also spent it discussing the plan of action for the obstacle course.

"I saw the course while I was taking pictures," Kimi explained, "looks like there's a tire hurdle, a robe net climb, you have to find the golf ball in the pile of leaves, and then you run all the way back to the finish line."

"I'll do the last part," Robbie volunteered.

"My long legs would probably get through the tire hurdle easy," Maddie said, lifting up her thin bird legs.

"I'll look through the leaves," Kimi said.

"And that leaves me for the rope climb," Greg finished. Their plan was set, and the teacher called the three groups over. They immediantly noticed who was in the eighth graders team: Mikey, the girl in black (now in red but wearing black barretts), the boy with the baseball cap, and the cat.

"Don't underestimate Mikey," Maddie said to her teammates, "He may be chubby, but we've seen how fast he can run."

"It's actually kinda disturbing to watch him run," Robbie commented, "but it's not as bad as watching Muscleman run." The raccoon shuddered at the thought.

Everyone went to their spots, and after a minute of preperation, the teachers started the race. The tire hurdle was easy for Maddie, but it was easy for the baseball cap boy too. They finished at the same time, but Greg quickly climbed over the rope net, easily beating the girl in black.

Unfortunately, Kimi had a disadvantage at the leaf pile. With his big arms, Mikey managed to completely destroy his leaf pile in seconds, and found the tennis ball. Kimi found hers a few moments after Mikey ran off, but they were still behind. It all came down to the final leg, the race.

As soon as the tennis ball was in his paw, Robbie ran off. Since he had something in his hand, he couldn't run on all fours, but he was still pretty fast. The cat was just a foot or two behind, and they were both halfway through the race.

Getting an idea, the cat smiled. He then discreetly dropped his ball, tossing it towards Robbie. The ball landed underneith his foot, and the raccoon crashed to the ground. But just before the cat escaped and Robbie landed on the ground, he grabbed the tabby's tail and took him down with him.

With both of the runners down, the red headed seventh grader shot passed them. Robbie picked himself off the ground, ran towards the finish line and managed to get 2nd place.

The sixth graders and seventh graders cheered, and Robbie congratulated the winner.

"Nice moves out there, dude," Maddie complimented, "and nice job not letting that cat win." They heard the cat hiss at them before running over to his team, but they just ignored it.

The rest of the day went pretty well too. The sixth graders won the pumpkin rolling contest, but unfortunately lost apple bobbing (who would've thought Mikey had such a big mouth?). At the end of the day the scores were:

Sixth - 110, Seventh - 80, Eighth - 110

"Awesome job guys," Maddie said, smiling at her friends and all the other sixth graders.

"We just need to get ahead by a little bit and we'll win this!" Robbie added. They cheered again, and then headed towards their school buses. Meanwhile, the eighth graders were huddled up as well, but they weren't congratulating each other.

"Dude, Mikey, I thought you said these guys sucked!"

"And now we're tied with them! We're eighth graders, we don't tie!"

"Just chill out guys," said Mikey, "I've got a plan." He smiled. "We're gonna win this thing, one way or another."

()()()()()()()()()()

It was the second day of events: Softball Day and the Pie Eating contest. Needless to say, Maddie was pumped. She was wearing her headband under her blue baseball cap and even drew her number from her junior baseball team on her blue shirt. Honestly, there were moments when she was looking forward to the game more than winning.

"Wow Maddie, don't you think you can show a little bit of excitement?" Robbie asked sarcastically when he saw her.

"Oh be quiet," Maddie replied. She placed her baseball bat, the best quality she could buy with the signatures of all her favorite players on it, in her locker and then she and Robbie headed to their 2nd period class. The games would begin again after lunch.

"I s-saw the schedule, and it l-looks like we won't be going up against you guys until the second round," said Taylor as the five friends sat down and ate lunch.

"Yeah, it's sixth vs. seventh first, and then it's winner vs. eighth," Greg added.

"Are you going to play in the game, Taylor?" Kimi asked.

"No, I wouldn't want to play with some of the people in my grade," Taylor answered, making a face, "but I promise I'll cheer you guys on."

"Thanks Tay," Maddie replied, smiling at her.

"So, are we ready to play some baseball?" Robbie asked, pumping everyone up.

"Yeah!"

"I'm going to go get my bat real quick," Maddie said, standing up. She quickly threw her trash away and ran out of the cafeteria. Her locker was just down the hall. After a few moments, everyone in the cafeteria heard a high pitched scream.

"Maddie?" Robbie jumped out of his seat and ran on all fours out of the cafeteria, with the others following. When he got to her locker, the violet bird wasn't hurt, but she looked frozen in shock. She was almost shaking. In her hands was her baseball bat, but it was completely destroyed.

Each player's signature was crossed out and replaced with 'Some guy' or 'some loser' or something like that. The bat was cracked, and there was even a part of it that looked burnt. The bat was so brittle, she could barely touch it with out it cracking a little bit more. It was completely useless.

She didn't say anything. "Um, Maddie?" Robbie said, poking her, "you, okay? Maddie? Madeline? Maddie Marie? (her middle name) Dude, speak to me."

The raccoon then saw the bird's face turn from shock to completely livid. "I. Am going. _To kill them_!"

"Whoa, whoa! Maddie! Calm down!" Robbie said, grabbing her wing. He knew that while Maddie was usually smart and thought things through, when she let her emotions get the better of her, she would sometimes end up doing things she regreted.

"_Calm down!_" Maddie shouted back, "after they did _this_! Do they know how hard it was, to save up enough money to buy this! To get all the signatures I needed! And they just, just!"

"Maddie!" Kimi said, placing a hand on her arm, while Taylor and Greg stood on the other side of her, "It'll be okay! I'm sure your parents will buy you a new one."

"That's not that point!" Maddie shouted, her voice cracking. She felt stupid for getting so worked up, but she couldn't help it. The eighth graders just kept pushing her and pushing her, until she finally snapped. Destroying the thing that she worked so hard to get. The thing that she won her first championship with. The thing she had her favorite players signatures on. To see it be destroyed just for the sake of winning a stupid school competition, it was just too much.

"Look, they're just trying to get you mad so you would be so upset, you would lose the game," said Robbie, "I know you want to kill them right now, but you have to let it go, or they know they'll won. They'll know they pushed you far enough to give up."

"Oh, there is no way I'm giving up," said Maddie, getting determined, "If they think I'm going to give up after this, they have no idea!"

Robbie smiled. "Now _that's _the Maddie I know." He hoped that would get her to smile, but she still looked pretty upset. "Just so you know, I'm really sorry."

"I know," Maddie said, almost with a sigh. She placed the bat in her locker, just before it split into three pieces. But Maddie didn't do anything. After a few moments, she looked over at her friends. "Come on guys, let's go play ball." This time she smiled, and her friends smiled back.

She was still sad about her bat, but that didn't stop Maddie from having fun playing the game. The seventh graders were a good team, and they were all nice. By the end of the game, everyone was just having fun. They even all sang 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game' when the principal played it over the speakers.

The final score was sixth graders 24, seventh graders 21. The seventh graders were awarded twenty points, and the sixth graders moved on to the next game.

This was when the fun ended, and the determined attitude came back. As soon as Maddie saw Mikey walk onto the field, his smug smile, she knew he had been the one who thought of the idea to break her bat.

"Hey battabattabattabatta, hey batta swing!" the eighth graders called out.

They used all kinds of tricks, and a few of them worked. The sixth graders put up a good fight, but in the end, it was sixth graders 26, eighth graders 28.

"Only two points!" Robbie shouted. He kicked a rock in frusteration. Twenty points were given to their team, while the eighth graders got thirty.

"Looks like we're in 1st place now, babies!" Mikey shouted. The four friends glared at him.

They wanted to beat them, to wipe that smug look off Mikey's face. But while they felt determined, they also felt discouraged. The next game was the Pie Eating contest. The eight graders definitely had an advantage. They were bigger, could eat more and with Mikey on their team, there was no way they could lose.

"This sucks," Robbie said.

"This sucks times two," Maddie added.

"This sucks times ten," said Greg.

"This sucks times a million," Kimi finished. They slowly walked to the cafeteria where the pies were. The pecan pies smelt delicious, each cooked to perfection and making every kid's mouth water.

"Must be store bought," Robbie commented. They all sat down, right beside the eighth graders.

"Well well, look who thinks they can still win this thing," Mikey said, smiling.

"Just shut up, Micheal," Maddie snapped.

"Aw, did we hurt the babies' feelings?" the girl asked before laughing.

"We said, shut up!" Robbie growled. The pies were being set in front of them.

"All we have to do is win this round and the scavenger hunt, and we've got this," the baseball cap boy bragged.

"We really thought you guys would put up more of a fight," the cat said nonchalantly, "but I guess you finally figured out that you're..."

"Don't say it," Maddie glared.

"What?" Mikey grinned, "That you're..."

"We're warning you, dude," said Robbie, his claws digging into the table.

"You guys, are losers!" Mikey shouted, laughing, "and you know who else is a loser? My grandma!"

"THAT'S IT!" In one swift moment, Maddie picked up her pecan pie and threw it, hitting Mikey right in the face. Everyone gasped.

"...Hey!" Mikey shouted, getting mad, "Oh, now you're gonna get it!" He picked up his pie, and hit Robbie, knocking his glasses off his face.

"My glasses!" Robbie shouted. Angry, the raccoon picked up his pie and threw it, hitting the girl in black/red. Pretty soon, there was a huge food fight, no, a food _war _between the two grades.

No side backed down and they only stopped when the principal blew his whistle.

"Now that's enough!" He shouted, "the Sixth graders and the Eighth graders are disqualified from the pie eating contest, and so the Seventh graders win the thirty points." The seventh graders quietly cheered. "I sincerly hope the two grades will show better sportsmanship and respect for school property in the final game. Now, one more thing: Madeline Quintel, Robert Salyers and Micheal Sorenstein. Will you three please come to my office?"

Maddie and Robbie both looked at each other. They were both thinking the same thing:

We're screwed.

**Sorry I'm making this a two parter, but I really didn't want to make this super long, and I wanted to get this up ASAP. I only have half an hour before school starts, so I'm kinda running out of time. But I promise I'll work on the 2nd part today and tomorrow as much as possible, and I'll have it up soon. Please review, and I'll see you in part 2!**

**Also, who else watched 'Weekend at Benson's'? That was just an awesome episode, definitely got me back in the Regular Show mood :D **


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks for the nice reviews guys :) I was actually kinda worried about the chapter, but I'm glad you guys liked it. Here's part two!**

The four adults and two kids (who were still covered head to toe in pecan pie) silently walked outside through the double doors of the school. Maddie and Robbie didn't dare say anything. They figured it would be best to let their parents say whatever they wanted to say first, and then try and explain what happened.

Mordecai didn't even turn on the radio on the car ride to the Quintel house (Since it seemed like a team effort, the two sets of parents figured it would be for the best to discuss it together, and Mordecai's house was always the best place to do it).

After what seemed like forever, the two families finally arrived at the building. They stayed quiet until they were all inside, and then Margaret decided to speak first.

"Okay, first I want to know why _you,_" she looked at Maddie, "threw the first pie."

"And then I want to know why you went along with it," Eileen asked. Mordecai and Rigby stood behind their wives, and while they didn't look as angry, they didn't exactly look happy either.

"Mikey was just annoying me," Maddie started to explain, "and I guess I just snapped."

"When Mikey threw his pie, it hit me and I fought back," Robbie added.

"Guys, I know Mikey isn't exactly the easiest person to deal with," Margaret started to say, "but starting a whole food fight? Getting your whole grade disqualified, plus wasting all that food. You're both lucky the principal didn't give you a worse punishment." The three had ended up getting two afternoon detentions, but they wouldn't start until after Halloween.

"She's right guys," Mordecai agreed, "Not cool."

"Yeah, I mean food fight can be fun," Rigby added, "but you can't have them at school." The three adults gave him a look. "What?"

"Look, we're really sorry," Robbie said, "but frankly, Mikey deserved it!" Maddie mentally facepalmed. Wrong thing to say dude.

"Robert!" Eileen scolded. The younger raccoon shrunk.

"Sorry," he said quietly. He then sat up a little straighter before continuing. "But, it's just, this whole week, this whole year! Mikey and the other eighth graders have been picking on us. We just got so tired of it. We wanted to beat them to show that we're not losers, and after all the cra-...stuff they did to us today, we were just tired of it."

"They've been picking on both of you?" Margaret asked, "well then, why didn't you tell us, or a teacher?"

"Mom, it's not just us!" Maddie said, getting frusterated, "It's our whole grade! Sixth graders are at the bottom of the school food chain. But we figured winning something like this would at least give our grade a little boost on the scale! We just wanted to make those guys shut up!"

The room was silent. After not hearing a response, both kids looked up. Their parents no longer looked angry, they almost looked distant.

"Bottom of the food chain, huh?" Mordecai said with a small chuckle, "man, I remember those days."

"Locker stuffs, getting chased down the halls," Rigby started to list.

"Hey, it wasn't any better for us," Margaret said, refering to herself and Eileen.

"Tell me about it," Eileen agreed. The kids couldn't believe it. Their parents at one point in their lives were picked on? But Mordecai was a great artist and cool! Margaret was beautiful! Eileen was smart, and Rigby was a ton of fun. It didn't make sense for them at any point in their lives to be unpopular.

"Look guys," Mordecai started to say ('I feel another one of Dad's speeches coming on,' Maddie thought), "There gonna be some stuff about middle school that's awesome, and there's going to be some stuff that sucks, a lot. There's going to be times where it seems like there's more sucky stuff than awesome stuff. But remember, it's not the entire world."

"Yeah, it's high school where stuff starts to get important," Rigby added. Mordecai glared at him. "But, even that's nothing compared to real life after school."

"You guys don't need to get worked up over Mikey and his friends picking on you," Margaret said with a comforting smile, "because we know all the names they may call you aren't true, and besides, they'll be graduating in a year. You still have two years left of middle school, and four years of high school. Which means you have a lot of awesome things to look forward to."

"Some of them you're doing right now ," Eileen commented, "Like the sports tournament. What did your principal say the games were about?"

"Um, something about sportsmanship and... other stuff?" Maddie guessed.

"We, kinda zoned out during his speech," Robbie admitted. Their parents couldn't help but laugh.

"Well whatever that dude said, the point is you're supposed to have fun," Rigby said, "I mean, you're getting half days off of school to play! How much luckier can you guys get!"

"And don't let Mikey or anyone else ruin your good time," Mordecai added, "I mean, it's awesome if you win, it really is. But if you lose, hey, there's always next year. Okay?"

Maddie and Robbie were both smiling. "Yeah," Maddie replied.

"We get it," agreed Robbie.

"So, no more calls about you two starting a food fight?" Margaret asked jokingly.

"We can't make any promises, but I think you're safe, Mom," Maddie replied. Everyone laughed.

"So, are we still in trouble?" Robbie asked curiously.

The adults looked at each other. "How about you guys do dish duty tonight, and then we'll call it even," Eileen said.

"Okay," they replied. That seemed fair.

With that problem solved, Maddie and Robbie were actually looking forward to the next day of games. The scavenger hunt was going to be pretty fun, and the party afterwards was going to be even more fun.

Just then, the doorbell rang. "Kids," Margaret yelled after opening the door, "Your friends are here!"

Maddie and Robbie walked to the hall, and saw Greg, Kimi and Taylor in the doorway, covered in pie as well. "Hey guys," Robbie greeted.

"What are you guys doing here?" Maddie asked.

"We wanted to make sure you guys were okay," Kimi said.

"Did your parents ground you?" Greg asked.

"Nah, we just have to wash the dishes tonight," Maddie replied.

The three friends looked at them curiously. "You guys seem so h-happy," Taylor commented.

"Yeah well, you can kinda blame our parents for that," said Robbie.

"Look guys, tomorrow, how about we just try to forget about the scores and just enjoy the games?" Maddie suggested.

"So, you're saying we let those jerks win?" Greg asked, surprised.

"No way! I would never just _let _someone win, we're still gonna try to win," Maddie started to explain.

"But instead of worrying who's gonna win or lose, let's just enjoy the fact that the school's letting us skip classes to play outside," Robbie continued, "and don't let Mikey get to us. We just ignore everything and enjoy the game."

The kids looked at each other, and they couldn't help but agree. They thought back to the game against the seventh graders that day. It had been fun because neither grade was worried about who was going to win.

"We'll try," said Kimi, with the rest of the group agreeing.

Maddie and Robbie smiled. Tomorrow was going to be an awesome day, no matter what happened. But even so, in the back of their minds, they still hoped to get first place.

()()()()()()()()()

The next day, all the grades donned their assigned colors and met outside on the school's football field. All around the outside of the school were objects related to either a class or Autumn. The list was:

A number refridgerator magnet (Math), a mini pyramid (history), a beaker (science), a mini totem pole (Skips' class), a notebook (any class), a Halloween candy bucket, an empty pie tin (the school had plenty of those), a mechanical pencil, and a baseball (gym class). Each team had half an hour to search, then they would be stopped. Whoever came back with the most items got 40 points. The scores were 6th - 130, 7th - 130, and 8th - 140, so it was any team's win.

The three teams of four were on the field while the rest of the grades were cheering in the stands. "So, I'd say we split into teams of two," Maddie was saying to the rest of her team, "One for each side of the school?" The rest of her team agreed.

"Hey losers!" yelled a familiar voice. The team turned to look, and saw Mikey and his team. "We'll see you at the finish line, if you even get there, cause you're such losers!" The older kids laughed while the team in blue just smiled.

"Good luck to you too, dude," Robbie called back.

"Yeah, well you're a-, wait," Mikey said, "What'd you say?"

"Aren't you guys mad?" the cat asked.

"Nah, it's cool," Maddie said, smiling.

"See you guys after the game," Kimi said while Greg waved. They then turned away from the stunned eighth graders.

"What the heck?" said Mikey, confused.

Meanwhile, the sixth graders couldn't stop giggling. "Did you see his face?" Greg asked.

"Guess they weren't expecting that," Kimi commented.

"Yeah," Maddie said, smiling. She then thought for a moment. "Hey, is this what people call 'reverse psychology'?"

"I'm, not sure," Robbie said truthfully, "Maybe?" Just then, the teacher blew his whistle, and the teams lined up.

"Students, I expect fair play and good sportsmanship," the principal said, looking specifically at Maddie, Robbie and Mikey, "With that in mind, your thirty minutes starts... now!" The timer was started, and the teams ran off.

Kimi and Greg decided to run to the back of the school where the forest and the old abandoned playground (it used to be an elementary school) was, while Maddie and Robbie ran to the front by the parking lot and the bushes outside the school.

As they were running, they felt two hands shove them, nearly knocking them over. "Move it, babies!" Mikey shouted at them as he and the boy with the baseball cap ran by. Maddie and Robbie glared at them, but instead of shoving back, they ran to the opposite side of the spot, ignoring the annoying older kids. And it's a good thing they did.

"I found a baseball!" Maddie shouted happily, holding up the ball.

"I found these!" Robbie shouted back, holding up a mini totem pole and a notebook, "found it underneith a truck."

"Awesome!" But then she saw who was behind Robbie. "Look out!"

Robbie turned to look, but it was too late. The boys grabbed the two objects and ran away laughing. "Thanks guys!" Mikey shouted happily.

"Aw what!" Maddie said, getting frusterated, "that has to be against the rules."

"Let's just go see how Greg and Kimi are doing," Robbie suggested, "that way, if we find anything else, they can't steal it." Maddie nodded, and they ran off.

"Hey, we found some stuff!" Kimi shouted when she saw her friends running towards her, "I found the beaker in a tree, and Greg found the halloween bucket hanging from a tree."

"We found some stuff too, but it got stolen," Robbie explained.

"Those guys sure do have a talent of ruining a good time," Kimi said, crossing her arms.

"Well, whatever," Maddie said, "I'm sure we can find some stuff here." The team climbed up the hill, going deeper into the small forest outside the school. Some seventh graders were there too, they had already found the number magnet and the mini cardboard pyramid. There were only two items left, and if they managed to find those two items, the sixth graders could still win!

After a few more minutes of searching, the seventh graders started to head back. If your team didn't make it back before the timer ran out, they were disqualified.

"Maybe we should head back, at least we have two things," said Greg.

"Just a little bit longer," Maddie said, "then we can go." She couldn't explain it, but she knew there had to be something else here.

"Wait," said Robbie, sticking his nose up in the air, "hold on a sec." He sniffed, and ran over to a bush. "Guys! I found it!" Robbie lifted up a silver circle.

"The pie tin!" the three friends shouted happily.

"So we have three things, the seventh graders have two things, and the eighth graders have three things," Maddie started to say, "If we just had the mechanical pencil, we would win."

"Well, a tie is still pretty good," commented Robbie.

"Wait, did you guys say a mechanical pencil?" Greg asked. The weasel then began digging in his pockets. "Come on, I know it's in here, got it!" He then pulled out a black mechanical pencil.

"You have one!" Kimi asked.

"A newspaper club member's best tool," Greg said with a smile, "and besides, they didn't say _which _mechanical pencil, just _a _mechanical pencil."

"We could actually win this!" Maddie said happily.

"Only one problem guys," Robbie said, checking the stopwatch the teacher gave their team, "we only have four minutes, there's no way we can make it in that time. The fields too far away."

"Well, then we're just gonna have to take the express route," Maddie said, "Follow me!" Her team followed, until they arrived at a mud puddle. It wasn't a whole slide, but the top was slick enough to send them all the way down the hill. "What do you guys think?"

"Sweet!" Robbie said, excitedly.

"I'm up for it," Greg agreed. Kimi didn't look so sure. She was more of a girly girl, so she really didn't like getting dirty. But, she figured getting messy was better than getting disqualified. So, the human girl sat behind her team in the mud.

"Okay, one, two, slide!" They pushed off, and slid down the hill with ease, cheering and enjoying the ride. Even Kimi was having fun! There were down the hill in only about half a minute compared to the two or three minutes it would've taken. As soon as they reached the bottom, the four friends jumped up and began running.

"I can see the field!" Robbie called, since he was ahead of everyone else.

"Come on guys! We can do it!" Maddie shouted encouragingly. They picked up the pace. Only a minute left. 50 seconds! 40! 30! 20! and...

The group of four ran onto the field and their grade cheered. They managed to make it to the middle of the field just before the clock ran out.

"Students, please show me what items you found," said the principal. Everyone held up what they had found, and after a few moments of inspection, the principal (with a smile on his face) turned to the rest of the student body.

"Students and faculty, I present to you the winners of the Autumn sports games," the principal said, "The sixth graders!"

The four friends cheered and hugged each other, not caring if they got each other dirty. The other sixth graders ran onto the field and began cheering them.

"That was so awesome!" Greg said happily.

"I can't believe we did it!" Kimi smiled.

Curious, Maddie and Robbie looked behind them. Mikey and his friends were scowling or pouting, disappointed that they lost. This would've been the perfect time to gloat, to call them losers or any other names they had used on the sixth graders for the past three months. But, they decided against it.

After all, the principal did say these games were about being a good sport (or something like that). So, Maddie and Robbie just simply smiled and turned back to their fellow sixth graders.

()()()()()()()()()

The Halloween party looked great. Leaves and orange lights hung from the ceiling, and streamers danced along the walls. There was punch, cookies, chips and (of course) candy. Everyone there was wearing fall colors.

Maddie was wearing a sunset colored tanktop and black pants (she didn't wear her headband since it didn't really match), and Robbie was wearing an orange shirt that matched perfectly with his gold fur.

"Today was really fun," Robbie commented with a smile.

"Definitely," Maddie replied, "Mini hershey bar?"

"I'll trade you two peanut butter cups for it."

"Deal." They exchanged candy, and looked back onto the dance floor. While there may've been some grade rivalry during the games, you wouldn't be able to tell here. No one was fighting and there were even some students from different grades talking with one another. It was as if they all had a silent 'only-at-parties' truce. That, or no one wanted to start a fight and make Skips (the only chaperone there) mad.

Whatever it was, it was nice. "Looks like those two are having fun," said Maddie, pointing at Kimi and Greg, dancing by each other on the dance floor.

"And it looks like you're about to get some company," replied Robbie.

"Huh?" The violet bird looked up, and saw Aaron right in front of her. She felt her face get hot.

"Hey guys, you were really awesome out there today," Aaron complimented.

"Uh, thanks!" Maddie said with a slightly awkward smile.

"You wanna dance?" the boy asked.

"Uh, w-well I, er, um..."

"She'd love to," Robbie said, giving his friend a push. Maddie gave a nervous smile, and walked onto the dance floor with Aaron. As she did, Robbie smiled. "I'm so going to tease her about this later," he said before taking a drink.

The rest of the night was filled with eating candy and treats, and the two friends dancing with friends and (at one point) each other. And even though they knew come morning they would feel sick to their stomachs thanks to all the candy and sugar, it was still a great night.

**Hope you guys like this as much as part one! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up (I haven't even thought of what I'm going to do. I'm thinking maybe something with magic and/or a monster since I haven't done that in a while), but I'm hoping I'll get it done by Sunday or Monday.**

**Please review, and I'll see you guys later! Hope you have an awesome day! :D**


	21. Chapter 21

The cool November wind blew through their hair as Maddie and Robbie rode to the movie theatre (well, technically Maddie was riding her bike, and Robbie was running next to her).

The raccoon, wearing a dark green jacket and gloves, leaped up and touched the metal bike rack outside the theatre. "Ha! Beat you again," he said with a smile.

"Yeah well, the wind was slowing me down," Maddie said with a smirk as she parked her bike. She was wearing her violet jacket and bluish-grey jeans, "Do you have the ticket money?"

"Right here!" Robbie said, taking out his wallet, "Snack money?"

"In my pocket," Maddie answered, "Let's go, I want to play a round of DDR before the movie."

While they could've easily gone to the mall theatre, which was closer and about a dollar cheaper, the kids decided to go to the Megaplex Theatre. Why? Because it was awesome!

There was an arcade, giant movie posters and cardboard standees, a huge snack stand with pizza, hotdogs and ice cream as well as the usual popcorn and candy, and widescreen tvs all over the place playing movie trailers. The screens were also a bit bigger, and unlike the theatre at the mall, the floors weren't sticky (one time they had to sacrifice a pair of shoes just so they could leave the theatre). So yeah, it was definitely a cool theatre.

"This is going to be so cool!" Robbie said, his tail twitching back and forth in excitement. The movie they were seeing was a monster movie based on the comic series they had both read. According to the reviews, it was one of the best, and there was no way they would miss it.

"I know! I wonder if they're going to do the part where-oof!" Maddie bumped into a tall figure. She looked and saw a man in a theatre worker's uniform. He looked about fifty, with black and silver hair. He glared at the bird.

"Oh, um, sorry," Maddie said quickly. The man continued glaring. "Uh, sorry Sir?" she added. The man didn't say anything, but just walked away.

"What was wrong with him?" Robbie asked.

"That's just Old Man Tickets," a familiar voice said, "he's always like that."

With a groan, the two kids turned and saw Mikey, stuffing his face with popcorn.

"Let me guess, you're seeing the same movie we're seeing," Maddie said, scowling.

"And you're going to bug us throughout the whole thing?" Robbie finished.

"Nah," Mikey said, wiping his buttery fingers on his pants leg, "Mom's making me take Sammi and Matt to the new Disney movie, it's going to be so lame. "

"What going to be lame, big brother?"

"And what does 'lame' mean?"

The twins walked up to their big brother. Matt looked like a mini version of Mikey and Muscleman, while Sammi was small and actually kinda cute. If it weren't for the green skin and long brown hair, you wouldn't be able to guess she was related to her brothers.

"Uh, nothing," Mikey said, "hey, how 'bout we go get some ice cream before the movie starts?"

The twins cheered. "Can we get chocolate with brownie bits?" They asked in unison.

"Well duh!" Mikey answered with a smile, "and you know who else likes chocolate ice cream with brownie bits?"

"Who?" they asked, curious.

"My grandma!" The two six year olds squealed with laughter, and then ran ahead, telling their big brother to hurry up. "See you later, losers," the chubby eighth grader said before running after his younger siblings and laughing along with them.

"You know, he may be a jerk," Maddie commented, "but at least he's a good big brother."

The two best friends then walked over to the arcade. They had enough quarters to play several rounds of 'Alien Hunters IV' and a game of Dance Dance Revolution. At ten minutes before the start time, they walked over to the ticket counter. There was no one their, so they knocked on the window.

"Excuse me?" Maddie asked. In a flash, the same man from before, Old Man Tickets, appeared.

"Um, we just need two for-," Robbie started to say, but the man cut him off.

"That movie is not age appropriate," he said, his voice monotone and yet still threatening.

"But you didn't even know what we were going to sa-," Maddie started to say, but again the man interrupted.

"You two either need to pick an age appropriate movie," he said, narrowing his eyes, "Or leave!"

"Geez, he's even grumpier than Benson," Robbie mumbled under his breath before saying, "We know the movie is PG-13, but our parents let us watch this kind of stuff all the time," Robbie tried explaining, "We know it's all fake, so it's not like we're going to get nightmares or anything like that, and we have the money for the tickets. So, could you please just let us-"

_"You two either need to pick an age appropriate movie," _Old Man Tickets repeated, sounding a lot more threatening, "_Or get. Out!"_

The kids took a step back. 'What's up with this guy?' Robbie thought, scowling a little. They had the right to see the movie, their parents said they could! They weren't just going to let this guy bully them into seeing a little kids movie just because they were two years under the age limit.

"Okay." Robbie looked up. "We'll just take two for the Disney movie," Maddie said, handing the man their ticket money.

"What! But Maddie!" The bird gave her friend a shove, silently telling him to be quiet.

"Here," the man said, handing Maddie the tickets without even saying 'Enjoy your film!' or 'Thank you!'.

"Thanks," Maddie said, as she grabbed Robbie's arm and dragged him past the counter.

"Maddie! We could've used that money to rent a good movie! I don't want to see a lame kids movie!"

"We're not going to see a lame kids movie," Maddie whispered, "Look, no matter what movie you pick, the ticket price is the same. So, if you bought a ticket to one movie, but went to another, it wouldn't do any harm because you're still paying the theatre and you still bought a ticket, you're just choosing to use it for another movie."

"Oh," Robbie said with a smile, getting it. The two quickly went through the snack bar, filling their arms with tasty treats.

"Okay, let's go!" Maddie said, smiling at her best friend. The two walked to the theatre, the door closed. When they opened it, they couldn't believe it.

"Can I help you?" Old Man Tickets asked, glaring at them.

"Uh," the two kids said, not knowing what to say. But before they could even try, the man grabbed Maddie and Robbie by the arm (causing them to drop their snacks) and dragged them away. At first, they thought he was going to throw them out. But then they walked past the exit.

"Um, where are you taking us?" Robbie asked. The man stayed silent. They continued walking until they arrived at a back room. Old Man Tickets opened the door, and shoved the two kids in there.

"Hey!"

"You two, are staying here," he said, pointing at them, "until you learn to respect the ratings system!" He thought for a moment. "Or until the last show of the day." With that, he slammed the door shut.

Maddie and Robbie both tried to open the door, but neither one could get it open. "Man!" Maddie said, throwing her wings up in exasperation, "This can't be legal! He can't keep us in here!"

"Yeah, but we don't have much of a choice," Robbie said, opening his cell phone, "No signal, so we can't call anyone. This so sucks, the rest of the day is ruined!"

With the light of Robbie's cell phone lighting up the room, Maddie could see around the small, closet sized room. It was very cluttered, filled with old movie posters and cardboard boxes. There was also small containers of old popcorn and moldy nachos. But what caught Maddie's eyes was the thing in the back of the room, sitting on a small table.

"What's that?" Maddie asked. Robbie turned around, and shined his light on the object. It was an old movie projector.

"Wow," Robbie said, getting a closer look, "Looks like it's a standard 35 mm projector, with film still in it! Looks like it's in really good condition too."

"You actually read a book on movie projectors?"

"It was a boring day, okay?" Maddie smiled.

"Can it turn on?"

"Give me a second." In only a couple seconds, Robbie found what he needed and turned the projector on. But instead of pictures or a movie, it only flashed a square of white. "Huh?"

"I thought you said it had film in it," Maddie said, looking at the projector. She could see film spinning and threading through it. Was the whole thing blank?

"Maybe it's just too old to work," Robbie commented, "film can sometimes fade if it gets harmed by chemicals or light or something like that."

"Well, that's too bad," replied Maddie. They could've watched a movie while waiting to be let out. "Well, what do we do now?"

"Since we have light, we can make shadowpuppets or something," Robbie suggested, "Mom used to do them for me all the time when I was little." The raccoon walked forward to be in front of the light, but because the floor was still dark, he slipped in a puddle of spilt soda. He slid forward, and let out a yelp. For a minute, Robbie thought he was going to hit the wall, but instead, he went through it!

"Robbie!" Maddie shouted. She quickly ran forward, and carefully put her hand against the wall. Her hand went through. Now that she knew it still worked, Maddie stuck her head through the white rectangle on the wall. "Robbie, are you-... Whoa."

It was like she had entered a different dimension. The atmosphere was swirling purple colors, with random strands of film floating by. All around the world, their were small screens, hundreds of them, each showing a different movie. Some were live action, others CGI, others animated.

"Maddie!" The bird blinked, and looked down. She saw Robbie hanging on the edge of a screen.

"Robbie! Hold on, I'm coming." Maddie quickly climbed through the window in between dimensions, and hopped onto a screen. She jumped to the next one, and the next one. But before she got to the screen Robbie was hanging onto, a strand of film quickly flew past her, making her lose her balance. "Whoa, whoa!" she shouted, waving her wings to try and get her balance back, but to no avail. The violet bird fell back, and into the screen.

"Oof!" Landing on a patch of grass (which frankly felt more like newspaper rippings than soft grass), Maddie quickly looked around, taking in the enviornment she was in. It was so bright and colorful, it almost hurt her eyes. But ironically, while it looked colorful, everything seemed flat. Where was she?

"Look out below!" A small body landed on Maddie's back, making her fall forward. "Oh, sorry about that, Maddie," Robbie said. The two then heard giggling all around them.

"Don't laugh, that really hurt," Maddie snapped, pushing the raccoon off her back.

"It wasn't me!" Robbie said in defense. He looked around for the source of the laughter, and then saw exactly where it came from. "Look!"

Right behind them, there was another screen. Only this one wasn't blank, on the other side there was a theatre, with real people in the audience. They could even see Mikey and his siblings in the seats.

"It's our world," Maddie said, "and if that's our world, and they're in a theatre watching a movie, then that means..."

"We're in the movie," Robbie finished, "Well, at least it's better than being in a dirty, old closet."

"Excuse me!" The two kids turned, and saw a perky looking woman in a bright, pink gown. She had long orange hair with pink blossoms braided in it, and there were happy animals all around her. "Hello you two," she said, flashing a perfect smile, "It's absolutely wonderful to meet you!"

"... I'd rather be stuck in the closet again," Maddie said, dryly. Honestly, this lady was so perky, she would probably make Pops cringe.

"How are we going to get back to our world? Because we can't go through there," Robbie said, pointing at the audience, "This movie's not in 3-D." He flashed a smile, and Maddie rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha," she said, "anyway, I think I have an idea." She turned to the red haired woman. "Hey, do you have a pencil or something I can draw with?"

"Oh, of course!" she replied, happy to help. A blue bird flew over to them, and handed Maddie a quill with ink already on it.

"This is an animated movie, right?" Maddie asked, looking at a curious Robbie, "Then I should be able to do, this!" The violet bird began drawing square box, and drawing swirls in it. They waited a moment, and then there was a flash of light. Now, instead of just a drawing, there was another screen to jump through.

"Awesome Maddie!" Robbie complimented. The two quickly jumped through the screen. Unfortunately, as soon as they did, another screen floated underneith them causing the two to jump into another movie.

"Where are we now?" Maddie asked looking around. The people in the movie looked real, but everything was in black and white. Even the two kids were in black and white!

"It doesn't matter, let's just find a way out!" Robbie said. Without wasting another moment, they began running through the streets, dodging people and old cars. As she ran past a group of kids playing with marbles, Maddie spotted a flash of purple out of the corner of her eye.

"Hey, Robbie!" she shouted, "Over here!" The two ran down the lane, and jumped through the screen as soon as they found it. In a flash, they regained their colors, but lost their balance in the process.

The kids jumped through a western, a crime movie, a CGI movie (that was pretty cool since they turned into CGI characters), a documentary about penguins, a horror flick, an 80's comedy, and a musical (which wasn't too bad since both kids were pretty good at singing, but it was annoying since they weren't allowed to stop singing until they went to the next movie). And those were just the tip of the iceberg. After the 34th movie they jumped through, Maddie had had just about enough.

"This is impossible!" She shouted, her voice echoing in the purple atmosphere, "There are millions of movies, we can't jump through each one."

"Yeah, it would be years before we even got through a third of them!" Robbie agreed, "There has to be an easier way to..." The raccoon then noticed the strands of films, weaving through the screens. They would take zig zag paths, each different from the other, but eventually they all floated to the very top, where Robbie could see a blank screen. Their screen!

"Let's just take a shortcut then," Robbie said, smiling. He jumped up, and grabbed onto a piece of film. "Jump on!" Maddie jumped up, holding on right beside Robbie. The two floated up, past all the screens and dodging other strands of film.

After about ten minutes, they were near the white screen. "Here's our stop!" Robbie shouted. The two jumped up, and grabbed onto the edge of the screen. Holding each other's hand so neither one would fall of the edge, they leaped through the window.

Landing on the dirty floor, Maddie and Robbie looked around and cheered. They were back in their dimension!

"Well, I see you found my projector." The kids immediantly became quiet, and turned to see that their was a third person in the closet with them. "Yeah, those were the days, when it really was 'Movie Magic'," Old Man Tickets said, looking very distant, almost saddened. But then, his face turned dark.

"I worked in the movie business for forty years," he said, "But people kept criticising me, saying my movies were too old fashioned. I gave their movies a chance, I even liked them! They're a lot better than the films these days, nothin' but computers and bad actors! But they forced me to retire, and to put food on my table, I got a job here. But that just made things worse.

"You people these days wouldn't know a good movie if it hit you! Everyday, people complain about movies, demanding refunds as if it was _my _fault! They spill their food on purpose, they sneak into movies, they don't give any mind to the ratings system! Though, I shouldn't have to remind you two of that."

"Look, we really are sorry," Maddie started to say.

"But we if we could just leave, we promise to 'respect the ratings' and all that," finished Robbie.

"Oh no," Old Man Tickets said, "You two, everyone in this theatre, needs to learn to respect the classics! Respect the film industry! Respect me!" The man lifted his arms, and film shot out of his sleeves. The film wrapped around Maddie and Robbie like rope.

"Hey!" they shouted, trying to escape.

"I hope you two enjoyed your movies," he said grimly, "because you're never coming out! But don't fret, _you'll have company soon enough!" _

"Yeah right!" Robbie shouted, glaring back. He then began biting through the fragile film.

"Hey, you little-!" Old Man Tickets tried to wrap Robbie up some more, but he hadn't noticed Maddie hoping over next to him. The young bird kicked the man in the shins. He shouted, loosening the film's grip on the kids. They tried opening the door again, but it was still locked!

Old Man Tickets tried to capture the kids, and they quickly dodged each attempt. But there wasn't much room in the closet. Boxes and posters kept getting knocked over, and they were quickly running out of places to hide and room to dodge.

"Resistance is futile! Show me the money! Say 'Hello' to my little friend! I'm mad as-!"

"You know, all those quotes come from movies made before we were born," Robbie commented, poking his head out from behind the table, "So what would make you think that we've heard them be-?" He got cut off by another attack. Robbie quickly ducked down, and the shot of film hit the old popcorn bucket, knocking it onto the floor. Getting an idea, Robbie grabbed the bucket, and slammed it over Old Man Tickets' head.

"Hey! Get this off of me!" he shouted, trying to pull the bucket off. Robbie quickly ran over to Maddie.

"We have to think of a way to turn off that projector," Robbie said.

Maddie was about to ask how when she noticed the moldy nachos still on the floor. She smiled cleverly. "I think I've got just the thing." She grabbed the nachos, and threw them at the projector, just as Old Man Tickets got the bucket off his head.

The nachos hit their target perfectly. The moldy cheese dripped into the projector, and caused it to start smoking and sparking. The two kids quickly ran for cover.

"No! My projector! What have you done!" The frantic man ran over to the projector, not noticing the small fire that had started. The kids gasped.

"Old Man Tickets, look out!" Maddie shouted. But the man ignored the kids as he desperately tried to get the cheese off the projector. But when he finally did notice the fire, it was too late. There was a small explosion, which knocked him back through the blank screen and into the movie dimension. The projector shook, and finally let out one more big explosion. The projector was now in a hundred pieces, and the wall was solid once again.

The room was silent and dark. "So, he's gone?" Robbie asked.

"I guess so," Maddie said, "but, hey, at least he can spend the rest of his life in the movies he likes instead of listening to people complain." So, it was kinda a happy ending. They kept quiet for another moment.

"Talk about a cheesy ending," Robbie finally said. Maddie groaned.

"Why do you have to have your dad's corny sense of humor?"

"It's not corny!" Maddie was about to disagree when they both heard the door open and light flooded the room.

"Hey, what are you guys doing here?" asked a voice. It was a man, but this one was a lot younger than Old Man Tickets, with long, brown hair. He looked about 23 years old.

"Um, we were put here," Maddie answered honestly.

"Let me guys, by the old guy?" The kids nodded. "I'm sorry about him, he's just kinda, well, I can't think of a nice way to say it." He looked around the room. "Where is Old Man Tickets anyway? His projector isn't here." He couldn't see the broken pieces behind the kids.

"Uh, he said he was quitting," Robbie said, thinking quickly.

"Yeah," added Maddie, going along with it, "He said he was going to retire and spend the rest of his life 'respecting the classics'."

"Oh," said the 23 year old, buying it completely, "Well that's good. That guy was a nutcase, he needs a little relaxation. Well come on you two, get out of here." They happily obeyed, walking out of the room and shutting the door behind them.

"So," Robbie asked, "What should we do now?"

After all that had happened, they weren't really in the mood to watch a movie anymore. "Wanna go over to the park and play one of Dad's old video games?" Maddie asked. Robbie happily agreed.

And so, the two walked outside and over to the bike rack. As they headed towards the old park, they reminded themselves that the next time they did watch a movie, they would have to keep an eye on the people in the background and see if they could find a certain old ticket-counter worker.

**I read in a review that this story hasn't really been having that 'regular show' feel the past few chapters, and I had to agree with it. It's just hard for me to write the crazy regular show situations (I have to give credit to J. G. for being so creative), it's easier for me to write 'normal' situations. But I wanted to try and make this chapter more Regular Show-y. **

**My best guy friend invited me to the movies, and then I thought "Movies! Let's do that!" And so, I thought of this. I hope you guys liked this chapter, it took me forever to write it just because I kept getting distracted :P Please review, and hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. See you then!**


	22. Chapter 22

**Another chapter focused on the original characters (in fact, the OCs are barely in here. But don't worry, Maddie and Robbie will star in the next chapter). Also, remember in the beginning of the story when I mentioned there would be some Benpops in here (someone commented that there hasn't really been a lot of that in here). Well, there's going to be Benpops in this chapter. It never gets past a K plus rating, but if you really aren't comfortable with it, then just skip this chapter. Flames will be deleted/ignored/blocked. With that said, enjoy the chapter. **

Bills, bills and more bills. The fact that it was the holidays didn't make it any better.

"Don't ya think you should take a break?" Skips asked, leaning against the doorway.

"The sooner I get these done," Benson started to say, "the sooner I can get the others done. With the holidays coming up, we're going to have even more things to pay for, and if Maellard decides to come this year, I have to make sure the park is in shape so he doesn't fi-."

"I think Pops is depressed." Benson stopped, and silently looked up at the yeti. "And I think you've lost track of how much time you've spent in here."

Without another word, Benson stacked all of his papers, and placed them in his desk. He gave Skips a nod of appreciation, and then went outside. If Pops was depressed, Benson knew exactly where he would be.

The wind was a lot stronger today, carrying dead leaves all the way across the park in only a few minutes. If you looked hard enough, you could even see small snowflakes twinkling in the air.

The iron on the swings was cold, and made Pops shiver. But he didn't dare let go. For one thing, if he decided to swing to cheer himself up, he didn't want to fall and hurt himself. But mostly because the iron felt strong, it felt solid. It almost felt like a certain gumball machine's hand...

The swing next to the lolliman creaked. "Hey Pops."

Pops instantly brightened. "Benson, my good man!" he said, giving Benson a smile. Benson smiled back. "Have you finished your work for today?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm only about halfway through." Pops deflated a little, but kept smiling nonetheless. "But I decided to take a break. So, what's up?"

Pops rubbed his hands. Whether it was because he was cold or because he was nervous, Benson couldn't really tell. "Well, I took a walk today around downtown," Pops started to say, "and oh! I stopped at the bookstore. They had such yummy looking food on their covers!"

"Guess they're getting out the cookbooks for Thanksgiving," Benson commented. Thanksgiving was only a day away. Everyone would come over to the house for lunch, and then go to their own thing for supper. Since everyone had extended families now, they couldn't really spend the whole day at the park. But Benson knew Pops was satisfied with seeing his 'family' at lunch. "So, what else did you do today?"

"Well, I looked at some new vests," Pops said. He then giggled. "Oh, and then I helped a squirrel gather food for his feast."

"You fed popcorn to the squirrels again?" Benson translated. Pops nodded. "Well, that's nice. But all that doesn't really explain why you're out here." Pops smile fell, and he looked at his feet. "Come on Pops, tell me why you're out here."

"Well, after I went inside, the telephone rang," Pops started to say, "It was Papa. He said he... he said he isn't coming to Thanksgiving this year."

"Oh." That's all Benson could really say. To be honest, it wasn't a big surprise. For the past several years, Maellard had only come for the meal, and the minute that was over, he left. It was obvious to everyone but Pops that Maellard didn't care about the holidays. For Maellard not to come, it had put a lot of pressure off Benson. But that didn't exactly make Benson happy. In fact, Benson wished he did have all the pressure and that he did have to deal with old man on Thanksgiving, just so Pops could be happy.

"I know he's busy," Pops said, "and I'm glad he's spending the day doing what he loves. The post mails food correct? Perhaps I can send him some turkey. Or, or perhaps a slice of his favorite... his favorite." Benson heard a sniffle come from beside him, and he felt his metal heart breaking.

"Hey, hey, it'll be okay, Pops," Benson said, gently rubbing the lolliman's back.

"B-but it's Thanksgiving, no one should have to be alone on Thanksgiving!" Pops sobbed. Benson almost couldn't believe it. Rather than being sad about his uncaring father, Pops was sad about his father being alone on the holidays. "Everyone should be with their families. No one should be alone."

Benson let Pops cry on his shoulder for a few more minutes. As he did, the gumball machine thought of a plan that he was determined not to screw up.

()()()()()()()()()

"So, why are we here Benson?"

"Yeah, we don't even work here anymore. You're not our boss anymore! OOOHHHHH!"

"Quiet!" Benson yelled at his ex-employees. Mordecai and Rigby snapped to attention. Sitting on the front steps of the house, were Mordecai, Rigby, Muscleman, High Five Ghost and Skips. It was only about eight in the morning.

"So bro, what is this about?" Muscleman, "I'm supposed to be eating breakfast and getting ready to play a game of football with my kids."

"I know you all have plans, and I know this is short notice, but this is really important," Benson said, "I want us to spend all of Thanksgiving at the park." Everyone started talking at once, saying about all the plans they had the rest of the day. "Hey, listen!" Benson shouted, getting everyone to quiet down, "I know it's not the Thanksgiving you all planned, but we need to do this. For Pops."

The air became silent. "What's wrong with Pops?" HFG asked.

"Nothing's wrong with him but, Maellard's not coming to Thanksgiving," Benson explained, "Pops is really torn up about it. I just figured, if everyone left after lunch, he would just start feeling sad again. I, I want him to be happy, so we're all spending the day with him."

"Well, I guess I can play football tomorrow," Muscleman said.

"And Margaret's folks hate me anyway, so I guess we can skip going to their house," Mordecai added.

"Better staying here than eating leftover's at Don's house," Rigby commented. Everyone was in agreement that they would stay the whole day.

The gumball machine smiled. "You can all take as much time as you need to call your families and rearrange your plans. After that, we all need to get to work. We have to get food for a 2nd meal, and the stores are going to be crazy, so we need to work together." He flipped the page on his old clipboard.

"Skips, you need to go to the bakery and get two more pies and another box of dinner rolls." The yeti nodded. "Muscleman and High Five, I'll need you two to set the table, decorate the house a little (Bensom knew how much Pops loved seeing decorations strung along the walls) and clean up any messes in the kitchen."

"You know who else likes to clean up messes in the kitch-?"

"STOP TALKING!"

"Mordecai and Rigby." Curious, Mordecai and Rigby sat up. "You two are in charge of getting another turkey from the store."

"Aw yeah-yuh!" Mordecai said.

"We have the most important job!" Rigby cheered, "No Thanksgiving is complete without tur-key!"

"Which means, don't screw this up!" Benson said, glaring at the two.

"Don't sweat it, Benson," Mordecai insisted, "We've matured, we're not going to let you down!" With that, the two best friends ran off. As they did, Benson could hear them arguing in the distance about who gets to drive the cart. Benson sighed, and prayed this holiday went halfway decent.

()()()()()()()()

"Augh, finally!"

The two had drove around the grocery store parking lot for almost twenty minutes before finally finding a parking space. "Alright dude," Mordecai said as they walked into the store, "We just have to get that turkey and... whoa."

The store was filled to the breaking point with angry shoppers. Everyone was running around looking for food. Some were even fighting for it. There were tons of spilled items on the floor, and rather than trying to break up the fights or clean up, the employees were hiding behind their cash registers (but can you really blame them?)

"Dude! There must be a million people here! There's no way we're gonna get a turkey!" Rigby shouted.

"Dude, just calm down!" Mordecai shouted, "There has to be at least one turkey left, so let's go before it's gone!"

The two quickly ran through the maze of aisles and the crowd of people. As they got further in the store, it was like walking further into a lion's den. People were grabbing whatever they could get their hands on. With all those people jammed in one area, things were getting a little crazy. One person ever grabbed Rigby's tail, thinking it was a loaf of french bread!

But, by some miracle, they made it to the frozen food section. "Okay, chicken, ham, ham, tv dinners, where the H is the turkey?" Mordecai searched all over the frozen food section, but no turkey. He groaned.

"Maybe there's one in the back of the freezer and we just can't see it," Rigby suggested.

"Hm, hm, good idea," Mordecai said. He began pulling out food so he could see the back of the freezer. "It's too dark, I can't see anything!"

"Let the professional handle this," Rigby insisted. He climbed up the shelves, using them for a ladder, and then told Mordecai to grab his feet so he could pull the raccoon out after his search.

"You see anything, dude?"

"No, just a bunch of ice and... oh sick! A frozen rat! That's so gross! ...I wonder what it feels like?"

"Dude, don't poke the dead rat!" Mordecai yelled, "We need to keep looking for that turkey! If we don't, Benson's gonna kill us both!"

Just then, the bluejay spotted a frightened employee holding a cardboard box. He could just barely make out the ink printed on the box. "T-U-R-K-E-Y. Turkey! Dude, that guy has turkey!"

The employee screamed, and threw the box onto the floor. "Just-just take them! Please don't kill me!" And with that, he ran away crying. Mordecai quickly pulled Rigby out of the freezer.

"Come on, let's-!" Just then, right out of nowhere, a croud of people ran down the aisle and ripped open the box, trampling Mordecai and Rigby in the process.

"Ooh, my back," Rigby moaned.

"C-come on, dude," Mordecai said, as he started crawling towards the box, "there has to be one left!" Losing his balance, Mordecai fell to the floor. Closing his eyes for a moment, he heard someone gasp.

"Oh my, one left! How lucky!" Mordecai and Rigby both sat up, and saw an elderly lady happily holding the last turkey in her arms.

"Excuse me!" Mordecai said, running towards her, "Um, I know you want that turkey but, could I please have it? I really need it for my friend."

"Sorry," the lady said, placing the frozen bird in her cart.

"But, I'll pay you for it!" Mordecai insisted, "Come on, what's your price? 50? 60? 75!"

"I said, no," the lady replied, giving Mordecai a small glare before walking away.

"Now what!" Mordecai groaned.

"You know, dude," Rigby said, "it's not really stealing if they haven't bought it yet." Without waiting another minute, Rigby ran over to the cart and tried to make a grab for the turkey. As soon as his paws touched it, he was hit in the face with a leather purse.

"The nerve!" the lady shouted, "trying to steal a woman's food! What is wrong with you!" She hit Rigby with her purse again.

"Mordecai, help!" The raccoon cried.

"Hey, knock it off!" Mordecai shouted as he ran towards the lady. But he was soon greeted with a punch to the gut and a kick in the shins.

"That's what you get for being his accomplice!"

With their bodies sore and with no turkey, Mordecai and Rigby walked out of the store feeling frusterated.

"Now what?" Rigby asked.

"I guess we could buy chicken or ham or something," Mordecai suggested.

"Aw what? Come on man, who has ham or chicken on Thanksgiving. The word 'turkey' is practically in the holiday name!"

"No it isn't dude."

"Well, it should be!" Rigby shouted.

"Say, are you two looking for turkeys?" The two friends looked up, and saw a grey haired man in a tan overcoat with a rough, grey beard.

"Uh, yeah," Mordecai answered.

"Follow me." The two followed the man behind the store into an alley. About a hundred red flags went up in Mordecai's head, but of course Rigby wasn't suspicious at all.

"You two are looking for turkey?" he asked again, "Well, I think it's safe to say, I've got the best in town." He reached into an old fridge that was on it's back instead of standing straight up, and pulled at a huge turkey.

"Whoa," the two said in unison. It looked so plump and juicy, it could feed three families!

"Normally this baby would cost a fortune," the man said, flashing a smile, "But, since it is Thanksgiving, forty bucks."

"I don't know, dude," Mordecai said to Rigby, "I mean, should we really be buying turkeys from a guy in an alley?"

"Hey, it's better than ham," Rigby replied. He then turned to the man. "We'll take it!"

"Awesome," he said, smiling. Mordecai handed him the money, and the two grabbed the turkey and ran towards the cart. As soon as they were out of sight, the man chuckled. "I love Thanksgiving," as he counted his money.

()()()()()()()()()()()

The house was filling with the aroma of turkey, stuffing, side dishes and pies. Benson sometimes couldn't keep track of all the dishes cooking, but luckily Skips was there helping out, and Muscleman or High Five would also give a word of advice every once in a while.

"Okay," Benson said, "The first turkey's is almost done, the sides are done, and I'm cutting the potatoes right now." Benson smiled, and actually looked a little calm (a Thanksgiving miracle). "I think if we can keep this pace, we'll have everything done by lun-."

"Ding dong!"

"Oh what now! Don't people know we're trying to get ready for Thanksgiving!" Benson shouted, his gumballs now a bright red. Everyone in the kitchen looked at him.

"Uh, why don't you go answer the door and maybe take a ten minute break," Skips suggested, "I can take care of the food."

Benson sighed, and left the kitchen. The doorbell rang again. "Coming!" He opened the door, and almost couldn't believe who was behind the door.

"Hello Beenbag."

"Mr. Maellard," Benson said, smiling, "Sir, it's nice to see you. We were afraid you weren't going to..."

"I assure you, I'm not here for another one of your mediocre meals," the bitter old lolliman replied. Benson's face fell.

"When then, why are you here, sir?" Benson asked.

"Papers of course," Maellard replied, stepping inside, "With all those lazy good-for-nothings taking the day off just to stuff their faces, I figured it was a good time to look over how much of my money you lost this year, Ball Bucket."

Papers, he was here for papers? Not to eat a meal with his only family, or even say hi to his son?

"I'll be leaving as soon as I get those papers, so I suggest you get them now, Benhead. Honestly, this whole holiday is a joke. I don't know why my son insisted I come over today. I told him that he's too old for such nonsense. Wearing pilgrum hats and stuffing your face on a day you could be making money? Pathetic. I just hope by some miracle, he stops being so childish and by next year he's done with this silly holiday. Now Beanteen, about those pa-."

Just then, Maellard heard a crash. He turned and saw Benson, his fist in a hole in a wall. He had punched a hole in the wall! The gumball machine looked livid. His gumballs weren't red, but practically maroon. His body was shaking in anger.

"Shut up," he said quietly, and yet it had a lot of effect, "Just shut up."

"Excuse me?" Maellard asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It bad enough you get love you don't deserve from someone I doubt you care about," Benson begin to say, still shaking in anger, "but to wish for him to be like you? A selfish, bitter, old, heartless bastard like you?" He heard gasps from Maellard and Muscleman and High Five in the kitchen, but he kept going. "Yes, this holiday may be silly. Yes, it may be pointless. But that doesn't matter! Pops, he can turn something pointless into a celebration! How someone like Pops can even be related to you, it's beyond my comprehension!

"Oh, but I'm not done yet! After he invites you over and offers you dinner with your only son, you reject him. He cries, not because he's sad about you pretty much abandoning him - which he should be! - but because he thinks you'll be lonely! He cares about you, and you just throw it back in his face. And just now, when I think maybe you have a fraction of a heart in you, it turns out you're just here for some pointless papers. If Pops knew that you cared more about your business than your son, it would..." Benson ignored the lump in his throat, "It would _kill _him.

"But, even though you may not care about him, he still has a family. We all care about him, _I _care about him! That's why we don't mind his childish attitude, or the silly things we have to do with him. Because that's just who Pops is, and I'm glad that's the way he is! And I'm not going to let you ruin him! So, _Sir, _I'm asking you to leave. If you'd like, you can come here to join us for dinner. You will be a polite guest, and if you do not come over for this reason, I will not let you in. I will send you those papers in the mail, but not until after the holidays.

"And yes, before you even ask, I know this just got me fired, but you know what? It was worth it. It's _always _worth it." The entire house was silent. You could barely even hear the food cooking. Without another word, Benson opened the door. "Goodbye, Mr. Maellard."

Looking angry and still a little shocked, Maellard walked out the door, and slammed it behind him. The house stayed silent, until Muscleman commented with a "Holy crap, bro."

"Guess you've been holding that in for a while, huh?" Skips asked. Benson stayed silent. "For what it's worth, that was kinda sweet."

Benson gave the yeti a small smile. "Thanks," the gumball machine said, "Now come on, we better keep going on the food. Lunch is in a couple hours."

Skips nodded, and everyone went back to work. But only for a few minutes, because shortly after everyone returned to the kitchen, the door slammed open.

"We've got tur-kayyyyy!"

"Tur-keyyyy!"

"Oh wow," Benson said in surprise, when he saw the large bird, "that thing's huge! Where'd you find something like that?"

"At the store," Rigby answered. After all, that was the half truth.

"Well, help me get this thing in the oven!" Benson said with a smile, "it looks delicious!"

Since Skips was taking care of the potatoes and Muscleman and High Five were on their break, Mordecai and Rigby helped Benson stuff the turkey. By the time they were done, the first turkey (the one they were eating for lunch) was done cooking. They quickly swapped turkeys and placed the cook one on the kitchen counter to cool.

"I have to say guys, I'm impressed," Benson said, "I guess you two really have grown up a little."

"Yeah, well that's us," Mordecai said in a cocky tone, "Mature, responsible and reliable."

"Yeah, mature's like our middle names!" Rigby added with a smile.

Benson rolled his eyes. "Well, why don't you two help Skips with the potatoes. I've got a hole in the wall to patch up."

"What happened?" Mordecai asked.

"It's a long story," Benson said, not giving anymore details. Deciding it was best not to pry, Mordecai and Rigby started helping with potatoes. Luckily, they didn't have much to do. Most of the potatoes were peeled and diced, they just had to mash them and add a little butter and milk.

As they worked, Rigby told about their experience at the grocery store. "And then this crazy old lady started hitting me in the face with her purse! Oh, and then she totally pwned Mordecai! Ha ha!"

"Shut up! She caught me by surprise!" Mordecai shouted at the laughing raccoon.

Skips chuckled. "And yet, you somehow got the turkey away from her?"

"No, she bought it," Rigby said. Skips raised an eyebrow.

"Then, where did you get the turkey?" the yeti asked, getting a bad feeling.

"Just some dude in an alley behind the store," Rigby said nonchalantly.

Don't worry Skips," Mordecai added, "he seemed pretty legit."

"This guy wasn't wearing a tan overcoat and had a beard, did he?"

"Uh, yeah why?"

"...Oh no," said Skips. As if on cue, the kitchen started to shake.

"What the heck is happening!" Mordecai shouted. The three then noticed a bright pink light coming from the oven.

"Everybody get down! Now!" They all ducked, and the oven door flew open. They heard a loud crow, and then saw a living turkey walk out of the oven. It was glowing a bright pink, and there were even brighter pink flames where its eyes should be.

"What is that thing!" Rigby shouted.

"It's a Phoenix Turkey!" explained Skips, "it's harmless if kept in cold areas, but once it gets hot..." The turkey crowed again, and then formed a huge, red fireball in it's mouth. Nearly hitting the three, it shot the fireball and burned the wall behind them. "...that happens."

"Hey guys," said Benson, as he walked through the door, "How's the food go-?" He froze when he saw the angry, pink bird staring at him. It opened it's mouth wide. "What the heck!"

"Benson, duck!" Mordecai shouted. The Phoenix Turkey launched another fireball. Benson screamed and quickly dropped to the floor, narrowly missing the attack.

"What did you two do!" Benson shouted!

"I told you we should've just got ham!" Mordecai said to Rigby as he punched the raccoon's arm.

"Ow! Hey, this isn't my fault!"

"How is this not your fault!"

"Hello?" The four gasped. That was Pops! Benson had nearly forgot that Pops was upstairs resting. "Benson?"

"Pops, look out!" Benson shouted, "Be careful!" Hearing his friend's voice, Benson stepped into the kitchen, and met eyes with the literal firebird.

"Oh my!" Pops shouted. The phoenix bird let out another crow and, instead of launching another fireball, it began charging. The poor lolliman was frozen in fear. But then, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw an old wooden chair. "Get away!" Pops shouted as he grabbed the chair. The bird kept charging. So, when it got close enough, Pops swung the chair and his the bird right in the face.

Letting a dazed crow, the turkey sat down on the floor. Wasting no time, Skips grabbed the turkey and opened the freezer door, throwing him inside. The fridge shook and glowed pink. All five friends ran over to the fridge and held it tight. After a few moments, the shaking slowed down and the fridge turned back to it's original white color.

"It'll be unconscious until it's heated up again," Skips said, making everyone give a sigh of relief. Benson glared at the two ex-slackers.

"I ask you two to do one thing, _one thing! _And you screw it up! I mean, just look at this place!" Benson shouted. Almost all the side dishes were spilled. The cooked turney was burnt to a crisp, and the kitchen was a mess. "This is a disaster!"

"It wasn't our fault!" Rigby shouted.

"Yeah Benson, I mean you think we would find a turkey on Freaking Thanksgiving! We had to think outside the box a little."

"Think outside the box? You two brought home a demon turkey! How did you even _find _a demon turkey!"

Mordecai was about to shout back when he stopped. Still standing in the doorway was Pops. His huge head was low, and his hands were covering his mouth. He was shaking, and you could hear small sound come from him, almost like he was sobbing. Everyone's anger was instantly replaced with guilt.

"Oh Pops," Benson said softly.

"Hey man, don't cry," Mordecai said.

"Yeah, we're really sorry, Dude," Rigby added. Benson walked over to the lolliman, and was about to ask if he was okay when he noticed something. There were no tears. In fact, now that he looked closer, there was a smile on Pops' face. Pops couldn't take it anymore. He removed his hands and let himself laugh.

It wasn't one of his random giggles, it was an honest-to-God laugh. He was happy and (even though they were used to this), everyone else was confused.

"Pops, why are you laughing?" Rigby asked.

The lolliman laughed a little more before answering. "It's as if we're all young again," he replied. He then smiled at Benson. "I guess you were right, my good man, those two do cause most of the excitement here." He began laughing again.

Benson smiled. He got it now. This entire situation seemed like something that would happen fifteen years ago, back when Benson was their boss, everyone was younger, and they were all just one dysfunctional family. The gumball machine, to his surprise, began to laugh and everyone else soon joined in.

()()()()()()()()()

You wouldn't think turkey dogs would go well with Thanksgiving side dishes like stuffing and cranberry sauce, but it was actually a really good combination.

While Pops, Benson, Skips, Muscleman and High Five cleaned the kitchen, Mordecai and Rigby went to the store to get another main dish. They were all out of birds to cook, but there were plenty of packages of turkey dogs. Around noon, the rest of the extended park family came over and lunch was served.

There were a few small arguements like 'he/she's hogging the food' or what to watch on tv, but those always ended quickly. Everyone was in a good mood, so no big fights were started. After lunch, the guys and the kids played football while the girls and Skips (who didn't really like playing) watched. By three, everyone was sleepy, and there was still another meal to go! But once everyone started to smell the scent of turkey dogs and microwaved side dishes, they were ready for round two.

"So are we going to have turkey dogs every year on Thanksgiving?" Maddie asked.

"We could turn it into a tradition," Robbie commented.

"Not really a traditional tradition," Skips joked.

"Hey, as long as it's turkey something, I don't care what we have on Thanksgiving," said Rigby.

"Hey Dad, I read in a Thanksgiving book that some people eat Turduckin," said Robbie, "which is a chicken, cooked inside a duck, cooked inside a turkey."

The elder raccoon's jaw dropped. He then turned to his wife. "Eileen, if you love me you'll let me buy one of those things for Christmas." Everyone laughed.

"Chicken, duck and turkey all in one? How yummy!" Pops said happily. Benson smiled. He was glad that Pops was in such a good mood. "Benson, have you ever tried Turduckin?"

"Well..." *Ding Dong!* The gumball machine looked up. Could it be? "Uh, I'll be right back guys." He stood up, walked over to the door and opened it.

Despite the height difference, their eyes met instantly; Hard and cold connecting to soft but determined. They said nothing, waiting for the other to make the first move. And finally, one of them did.

"Beanbag," Maellard said. Benson looked at him, silently telling him to continue. "May I come in?" The old lolliman's eyes softened a little, and Benson could tell what he said earlier got to him. With a small smile, Benson replied with, "Of course, Sir."

Maellard gave a nod, and walked inside. Pops couldn't believe it when Maellard walked into the kitchen. "Papa! You're here!" he cried before wrapping his arms around his father in a hug. Everyone could see that Maellard was uncomfortable and felt a little awkward, but even despite this, he didn't try to end the hug early. It was a little quiet at first, but soon Maellard was just another person, joining in the conversations and sharing the food.

After supper, everyone gathered in the living room, talking and arguing about what Thanksgiving special to watch (who would've guessed there were so many?). As Benson looked around the room, he didn't see that familiar top hat and huge head. Quietly, he slipped outside.

Pops was at the swings again, but instead of staring at his feet or slowly swinging, the lolliman was smiling at the stars and humming a song Benson had never heard before. "What are you doing out here?" the gumball machine asked as he sat down, feeling a little deja vu-ish.

"Oh!" Pops said, "well, I saw that the stars were out tonight, and I thought it would be a perfect way to end the evening. I dare say, this may be the best Thanksgiving I've ever had!"

Benson smiled. "Yeah," he said, "I guess it is for me too. Except for that whole demon turkey incident." Pops started giggling at just the thought of it. The two then became silent for a moment before Pops spoke up again.

"It was you that convinced Papa to come." Benson looked up. "Wasn't it, Benson?"

"I guess you could say that," Benson replied. He felt two arms wrap him up in a hug. To everyone else, Benson was just a grumpy gumball machine who sometimes worked too much. But to Pops, Pops saw past all that. He saw the side that was caring, the side that was shy. He saw how much fun Benson could be, and how he could be the best friend the lolliman could ask for.

"Thank you, my good man," Pops said softly, still smiling. He saw Benson's cheeks heat up a little.

"You're welcome," said Benson, looking away, "and I, you know..."

Pops giggled, and then kissed Benson's forehead. "I love you too." Benson gave him a small smile.

"Awww, how cute!" The two saw that they had an audience. Mordecai, Rigby, Muscleman and High Five were all laughing and teasing, while Skips was just smiling at the two. Benson scowled.

"Shouldn't you all be inside!" he asked, clearly embarrassed (which made the four laugh even more).

"We just came to ask if you guys wanted dessert!" Mordecai called back.

"Oh! Good show!" Pops shouted, already thinking about the pies waiting for them in the kitchen, "Come on Benson!" Pops stood up, grabbed Benson's hand and began dragging him towards the park house, "I shall make sure you get the biggest slice of pumpkin pie!"

Benson smiled, and squeezed Pops' hand. "Whatever you say, Pops."

**I just think these two are so adorable together! If you don't support it or support BensonxSomeone else, that's fine too. To each their own! **

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it was a lot of fun to write. It definitely got me in the mood to write for this story again (I already have three or four more ideas). Unfortunately, I have Anime Club tonight and then a chemistry test to study for, so I won't have a lot of time to work on the next chapter like I hoped to. But I promise I will have it up soon. Hint for the next chapter: For all those who have gotten a ton of snow this winter, this is for you!**

**Please review, and I'll see you next time! :)**


	23. Chapter 23

*Ring ring! Ring ring! Ring ring!*

Robbie groaned. "Come on, it can't be 6:30 already," the young raccoon mumbled under his burrow of blankets. Wait, that wasn't his alarm. That was his cell phone. Pushing the covers off him, Robbie sat up, and grabbed his phone. "Hello?"

"Robbie! Have you seen what it's like outside!"

"No stupid, I've been sleeping," Robbie replied, scowling. Glancing at his clock, he could barely make out the numbers but the clock read 5:15, "Even if I wasn't sleeping, everything's just one big blur."

"Well, put your glasses on and look outside! Go! Go! Go!"

"Okay okay! Stop yelling!" Robbie snapped back. Honestly, what could be the big deal? He grabbed his glasses and climbed over to the window. "Okay, so what...Oh. My. Gosh."

There was about four to five feet of snow on the ground. It twinkled in the light of the streetlights, making it look like a gift from the heavens. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Just think of the snow forts they could make with all that! "Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!" Robbie shouted, practically jumping on his bed.

"Now who's the excited one?" Maddie said. He could almost see her smirking.

Ignoring the comment, Robbie asked, "Has school been canceled yet?"

"I've got the tv on right now! They're on letter M, so we've got a few minutes," said Maddie. For the next few minutes, Maddie told Robbie all the details on the tv. All the cities around them were closed, so their schools just had to be! "Okay, they're on the T's! Tambolin, Tentun, Twin Pines! Twin Pines public schools: Closed!"

Both kids cheered loudly. They officially had the first snow day of the season! Just the fact that they didn't have to go to school was great alone. But on a snowday, there were plenty of fun things they could do. And with their irregular lives, even the mildest snowdays would be an adventure. They both continued cheering until Robbie heard a voice in the background of Maddie's house. "Madeline Marie Quintel! Stop screaming!"

"Sorry Mom!" Maddie called back. She then began talking to Robbie again in a quieter tone. "I'll meet you at the park, okay?"

"Okay." The two hung up, just before Rigby opened Robbie's door.

"Hey, dude," Rigby said, looking and sounding very tired, "Why are you yelling? It's like five am."

"Dad, Maddie called. School's canceled!" Robbie replied. His dad's eyes widened.

"Are you serious!" Robbie nodded. "Aw yeah!" Rigby cheered. He then covered his mouth, and began speaking again more quietly. "Okay, this is awesome, but we can't celebrate until breakfast. If we keep yelling, Eileen will make us both sleep on the couch tonight, so just keep it down until then. Okay?"

"Okay Dad." replied Robbie. As Rigby left his son's room, Robbie could hear him whisper "Aw man, this is gonna be sweet!" Robbie smiled. It was no secret that when the first snow day rolled around, Rigby and Mordecai were just as excited as their kids.

Even though it would be practically impossible, Robbie laid back down and tried to fall back asleep until at least 7:00. When 7 did finally come, both he and his dad were in the kitchen, excitedly talking about the snow day plans.

As soon as breakfast was over, both father and son ran to grab their coats. "Wait!" said Eileen. They stopped. "You'll need this," the mole woman said, as she pulled a stocking hat out of her pocket. Robbie made a face, and Rigby snickered a little, but was silenced with a couple of glares.

"Mom! I don't need to wear a hat! I have fur just like Dad, remember?" Robbie said as if his mother forgot.

"I know, but even with fur, skin still freezes at below 10 degrees, and you're a lot younger than Dad, remember?" Eileen said. She placed the hat on her son's head. "Besides sweetie, it really isn't that bad."

'Says you,' Robbie thought. The hat was a foot long, with green and white stripes and a ball of fluff on the end. It was like an elf's hat! It was so embarrassing, but Robbie knew there was no arguing with his mother.

"Okay, you guys have fun," Eileen said with a smile. Her and her son hugged, and then she and her husband shared a kiss.

"Alright, let's go!" Rigby said with a smile. The two quickly ran towards the door, and into the winter wonderland right outside their house.

()()()()()()()()()()

The violet bird smiled as she walked through the fresh snow. Maddie and Mordecai had just arrived at the park. She decided to walk around outside while her father stayed inside to talk with Benson, Skips and Pops. She knew as soon as Rigby got here, the two dads would probably start a small snowfight of their own. There were already a few going on. There weren't many kids at the park, but then again, it was still morning. By noon, this place would be packed, and snowballs would be flying through the air like cannonballs.

Maddie let out a relaxed sigh. You'd think being a bird, she would hate cold weather, and she did when it overstayed it's welcome. But when it came to the first snowfall of the season, even if it was only an inch of white fluff, Maddie would feel a little lighter. It was as if the first snowfall always came with a bit of winter magic. She replayed this thought in her head and laughed at herself. "I think I've been listening to too much of Pops' poetry," she mumbled with a smile.

Just then, Maddie felt something hard and wet hit her in the back of the head. She shrieked and turned around. "You jerk!"

Robbie was smirking. "You were the one who left yourself open," he replied, trying to be innocent.

"I thought you were still at your house! Why didn't you text me to tell me you were here."

"So I could do that," Robbie replied, refering to the snowball, "You couldn't even hear me coming. I'm nature's ninja, the raccoon!"

Maddie smirked. "I would agree but, that hat isn't really ninja-like. More like, oh, I don't know. An elf?"

"Oh, you are so going to get it now."

"You'll have to catch me first!" Maddie shouted before turning on her heal and running. Robbie quickly dropped to all fours and ran after her. They both laughed as they ran, tossing snowballs at one another and trying to tackle each other. Robbie was catching up to the violet bird, but just as he was about to tackle her, Maddie turned around and wrapped her wings around the raccoon, trapping him.

"Gotcha!" she said, victorious. Robbie squirmed, trying to escape.

"Come on, let me go!" Robbie shouted, while his friend laughed. When he stopped trying, knowing Maddie was a lot stronger than he was, Robbie realized just how close they were. Did it suddenly get warm? Before Robbie could think about it any longer, he felt Maddie's grip weaken.

"Hey, dude, you okay?" Maddie asked as she set him down on the ground, "You know I was just playing around, right?"

"Y-yeah, I knew," Robbie replied.

"So, why'd you stop trying to escape? You're usually not one to just give up," said Maddie. She looked genuinely concerned. "Did I hurt you or something?"

"I'm fine! I'm fine!" Robbie said defensively, "Just, I'm fine." Maddie still looked suspicious, but dropped the subject. 'What was that about?' Robbie asked himself. They tackled each other all the time, so why did he just now notice how close they were? 'Guess I'm still tired or something,' he told himself, 'Yeah, that's it.'

"Well, alright. Hey, you wanna go sleding? No one's used the big hill yet."

"Aw sweet!" Robbie smiled, his tail swishing back and forth. Forgetting what had happened a few moments ago, Robbie quickly ran towards the house with Maddie following. In no time at all, they had located shining, silver trash can lids. Perfect!

"Great, it still hasn't been used!" Maddie commented happily when they approached the hill. At thirty feet tall, it was the tallest hill in the park and, if you were sleding, the fastest. It took a good fifteen minutes to climb up it, but it was all worth it. "Hey, do you remember when our dads first took us here when we were little."

"Yeah, my dad crashed into your dad and they both crash landed in a snowbank," replied Robbie, laughing right along with his best friend, "Oh, and Muscleman was laughing at them and then,"

"He tripped and turned into a giant snowball!" Maddie finished, "It was like out of Indiana Jones!" That had been such a fun day. By the end, they were all huddled by the fireplace, trying to melt all the snow that covered them, but that didn't really matter. It was their first real snowday and, at the time, their best.

"Well, let's see if we can make this trip even better!" said Robbie. They had just made it to the top. The two threw down their trashcan lids, and sat down on them. Well, at least Maddie sat. "I think if I lay down on the lid, I'll go faster," the young raccoon explained.

"That, or you'll get a face full of snow," Maddie replied, "either way, last one to the bottom has to help Benson shovel! Ready..."

"Go!" Both kids pushed off and shot down the hill like a rocket. They zigzagged and sprayed each other with snow, laughing the entire ride. They were nearing the bottom of the hill. Robbie turned his lid a little, and he sped up. "Even on sleds I'm faster!" he shouted.

"We'll see about that, furball!" Maddie shouted back. She leaned forward as far as she could, and caught up to Robbie. They were neck and neck now, but Maddie was just a few inches ahead. "Who's slow now!"

"Now for lon- wait. Is that?" The two looked and saw they were heading right for a medium sized bump. They held onto the trashcan lids tightly as they flew over the bump. They screamed as they landed face first in the snow.

"Coooold!" Maddie shouted, shaking the snow out of her feathers. She looked over and saw Robbie spitting out snow.

"Gross, I think I swallowed some!" he grimaced. They looked at each other, and then started laughing like crazy. A crash landing, just like years ago. Somethings never changed.

"Well, we went down the big hill, and we crash landed," Maddie said, once they stopped laughing, "What should we do now?"

"Maybe we should walk around and see if there are any snowball fights going on," Robbie suggested, "those are always pretty fun."

"Okay." With smiles, both kids lifted themselves out of the snow, and continued on their snowday.

()()()()()()()()()

It had been a week since the first snow day, and they kept getting more and more snow. The first few days were fun. They were filled with snow angels, snowmen making, sleding, ice hockey, snowball fights with their friends, snowball fights with their dads, and (of course) shoveling. After all, it can't all be fun.

But just before they had the chance to start getting bored with the snow, their parents surprised them.

"A trip?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, we figured since you guys have had like seven snowdays, you would want to take a break from the park and go somewhere cool," Rigby answered.

"And we have the perfect place picked out," Mordecai added, "So get your things ready, cause we're leaving tonight."

Maddie and Robbie looked at each other. Just what were their parents up to? But, knowing their parents wouldn't give any hints (well, Rigby would but Mordecai would hit him before he had a chance to say any), the two friends packed clothes for the night, as well as a few portable games and books. It would be a three hour trip after all.

As soon as lunch was over, the four adults and two friends climbed into the car, and drove off. "Hmm," Maddie said to herself as she looked out the window. "So, what's so important about this place?"

"Well, let's just say it's _very _important," Margaret said with a smile as she took Mordecai's hand. While the bluejay kept his eyes on the road, he couldn't help but smile and squeeze his wife's place.

"Yeah," Rigby mumbled with a smirk, "It's the first place he ever scored." *Punch* "Ow!" The kids laughed at the now pouting Rigby, and Mordecai (now with a satisfied smirk) continued driving down the road.

"Hey, isn't this the route we take when we're going camping?" Robbie asked as he noticed a familiar sign.

Eileen smiled. "Sorry sweetie, we're not going camping if that's what you're thinking," she said, "but I'm sure you'll have just as fun."

The kids continued guessing as they drove, guessing places like an indoor amusement park or some sort of ice and snow city (those really do exist). But their parents refused to spoil the surprise. Finally, they just gave up and started playing a portable fighting game. Around the thirteenth round, Morddecai finally said those magic words. "We're here!"

Maddie and Robbie quickly jumped out of their seats and looked outside. They looked all around and saw... a log cabin and just a few trees?

"This was the special place you were telling us about?" Maddie asked.

"You'll see," Mordecai said, "trust us." Everyone walked out of the car, and into the cabin (though, it took a few minutes since the door was frozen).

"Ah, this place is just as cool as I remembered it," Rigby commented, stretching his arms out and taking in the atmosphere. The kids looked at the inside of the cabin and, they were actually plesantly surprised. The cabin was medium sized, complete with a fireplace, two comfy looking couches, a warm rug, a SEGA Masters system set up in the living room, and a fully stocked kitchen.

"Wow! There's like a ton of ice cream in here!" Robbie announced when opened the fridge, "and a bunch of toppings too!"

"Which is for after supper," Margaret added. The kids pouted, but quickly got over it and continued exploring the rest of the house.

"These beds are super soft!" Maddie commented as she jumped on one of them. Robbie smiled. "And I bet the pillows are just as soft, which means they'll be perfect to use for a pillow fight, or if I have to stop your snoring."

"I don't snore!" Maddie shouted.

"Yeah, and Benson isn't a gumball machine," Robbie replied. He was then hit with in the face with a pillow. Before they knew it, pillows were flying all over the room. One of them slid out into the hallway. The young raccoon quickly ran to get it, as he walked back towards the doorway, he noticed something carved in the wood. "Huh?" He silently read it.

_R + E ... M + M, maybe someday _

Robbie smiled. 'Our parents must've carved these,' he thought, 'and it must've been before Mordecai and Margaret got together.' Robbie was glad that it eventually worked out for his uncle and aunt-like figures, because if it hadn't, he wouldn't have his best friend.

"Hey dude! Check this out!" Snapping out of his thoughts, Robbie walked back into the bedroom. "There's like a whole forest behind the cabin," Maddie said, pointing outside the window. Sure enough, there was a thick forest outside, filled with bare and black trees.

"You know, we've never been in a forest during winter, only summer," Robbie stated, "I wonder how different it is."

"Well then, let's go find out," Maddie said with a smile. Robbie smiled back. After cleaning up the pillows and getting permission from their parents, the two friends quickly headed out into the snow.

There weren't too many different things about the forest, so they just talked about random things as they hiked through the forest, like plans for the holidays and for Spring. "Hey, I know a scary story that takes place during winter, in a forest, _just like this._"

"If you're trying to scare me, it's not going to work," Maddie said, "for one thing, great scary story tellers don't look like elves."

Robbie growled at her. "I bet I can scare you with this story!"

"Well then, do it. Start the story, Storymaster," Maddie replied. Determined to prove her wrong, Robbie began to weave his tale.

As the violet bird listened, she couldn't help but feel impressed. The way Robbie added in little details, the way he talked with his hands, it made everything come to life. It still wasn't scary, but it was really entertaining. It was as if she could see it all happening. Maddie smiled. 'Guess all those books came in handy, because he definitely knows how to tell a story.'

"And so, all the police found, was a single footprint, the snow blowing all around it. They say, the beast is still there, lurking and watching in the shadows. His spies of the forest keep an eye on all travelers. And, if the animals believe it's your time, the forest will be come quiet, and the deep growl of the beast will be the last thing you ever hear."

Maddie began clapping. "Well, I'm still not scared, but that was a really awesome story. You should write that down and publish it."

"Well, at least that's something," Robbie said, shrugging his shoulders. Now that he wasn't concentrating on the story, he noticed how much darker the forest was. "Hey, maybe we should start heading back."

"Yeah, it's getting pretty dark, and there's not much to do out here anyway." The two kids turned around and began walking back. Every once in a while, they would hear the sound of an owl hooing, or the wind blowing the branches against each other. But after a while, when they couldn't find anything else to talk about, the forest silenced itself along with them.

"Getting kinda quiet, huh?" Robbie commented.

"Yeah, quiet," Maddie repeated looking around at the dark trees surrounding them, "Uh, we should be getting close, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I mean, we have to be," Robbie tried to say with confidence. But just as they took another step, they heard a low, deep growl.

"What. The. Heck?" Maddie squeaked.

"W-wolves hibernate this time of year," Robbie said, taking a step closer to Maddie, "a-and so do bears. Maybe it was the trees?"

"Trees can't growl!" Maddie whispered. If she wasn't so frightened, she would've hit Robbie. They heard the growl again, and this time it was louder. Almost as if... Maddie put her hand on her stomach, and then mentally facepalmed herself. "Dude, it wasn't some animal!" she shouted, "it was our stomachs!"

A smaller growl was heard, and Robbie came to the same conclusion. "Oh," he said. But then, he perked up and smiled. "I did make you feel scared, didn't I?"

"Hey, I never said it was a monster," Maddie reminded.

"But you were still scared, and it sounded like you were thinking that it was a monster to me," Robbie smirked.

The violet bird groaned. "Let's just go, Furball." Robbie laughed, and the two continued on their way. "But you did not scare me with that story. Anyone would be scared if they heard noises in a dark forest."

"Excuses, excuses," Robbie replied. But just as he was about to say something else, his ears perked up. He tried to concentrate.

"Dude, what are you-?"

"Shh! I hear something!" said Robbie. Maddie rolled her eyes. She opened her mouth to tell Robbie to stop trying to scare her when she realized, she heard it too. Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Thu-thump. Almost like footsteps, or a heartbeat. It could be someone looking for them, but who would be heavy enough to make such loud footsteps?

"Let's just, get going," Maddie said, gulping. The two began walking faster, making sure to dodge any rocks or anything else that could trip them. But the further they got, the louder the noise got. Thu-thump. Thu-Thump. **Thu-Thump.**

"Oh, forget it!" Robbie yelled, "Run!" The two began sprinting through the forest, desperately trying to escape whatever was in the forest with them. The trees became a blur, but the noise still pounded in the back of their heads.

"I think, we're almost, out!" Maddie yelled. But, from out of nowhere, a cloaked figure jumped out from behind the tree. The two kids screamed as loud as they could. So loud, they could barely hear the figure speak.

"Hey, hey! Calm down you two, it's me!" Maddie and Robbie silenced themselves.

"S-skips?" they asked. The figure lifted his hood, and sure enough, it was Skips.

"What are you doing here?" Robbie asked.

"Your dad left something at the house, I figured he would need it so I drove up here to drop it off. When I got here, your parents said you two had been gone for a while, so I volunteered to go look for you."

"Oh," said Maddie, "Uh, thanks Skips."

"Yeah, thanks," Robbie repeated.

"No problem," replied Skips, "so, did you see the lights?"

"What lights?" Robbie asked. Skips thought for a moment, and then gave a small smile.

"Follow me," Skips said as he began to skip away. The two kids quickly ran to catch up with him. The yeti insisted that the trip wouldn't take long (they didn't want their parents to worry), and that it was worth seeing. "Your parents found this place along time ago," he explained, "and I think you two will like it as much as they did." Skips cleared a small entrance by moving away a few branches, and he let the kids walk through.

To say they were awestruck would be an understatement. "Whoa," they breathed. The sight was just as if not more amazing than the Water Sprites' dance. Bright green light waves danced through the dark blue sky, shining down on the twinkling snow.

"The Northern lights," Robbie said, "but, I thought you could only see them in places like Alaska."

"You'd be surprised what you'll find if you just look," Skips commented. The two kids took a couple steps forward, and sat down in the snow to watch the show.

"Wow, this is just, incredible," Maddie said, "So this is what Dad meant by special." 'Among other things,' Robbie thought, thinking back to the carvings on the doorframe. "We're probably the only two kids in the city who've seen this."

"I guess that makes us pretty cool," Robbie smiled. But his smile fell when he felt a hand on his shoulder, pulling him closer to Maddie. He felt himself get hot. "Uh, wh-wha-?"

"Just because you're a boy and my best friend doesn't mean I can't give you a hug," Maddie said casually, as she continued giving Robbie a one armed hug. The raccoon said nothing, because his mind was racing a mile a minute.

'Why do I keep acting like this?' Robbie thought in frusteration, 'The cave, the tackling, and now this! There has to be something wrong with me. I don't care if Mom says I should read a variety of genres, those romantic books are messing up my brain.' He couldn't li- think that way about her. 'I mean, we're best friends! It would never happen! Nev-!'

But then, the image of the doorframe appeared in his mind. 'Or could it?' Mordecai and Margaret started out as friends, and (according to Mordecai) Robbie's parents started out as less than friends. But now, they were all married and had kids.

Robbie glanced up at the violet bird. The Northern lights reflected off her feathers. Her face looked so calm, so nice. Maddie had always been there for him, always by his side. She teased him and called him names, but he was also nice to him and stood up for him when others teased him. "No one teases the raccoon but me!" he remembered her saying in the 1st grade. Maddie was a lot of fun and, now that Robbie thought about it, her feathers were kinda soft.

'But, she would never think the same way,' Robbie thought. He knew this for a fact. But still... 'I've got to stop thinking about this,' the raccoon thought. They were on vacation, and they were together. So, Robbie was going to enjoy himself.

He finally allowed himself to relax and really, sitting close to Maddie with her arm wrapped around him was actually kinda nice. Robbie let the smile melt back onto his face, and gave a sigh.

'No matter what happens, we'll still be best friends, and that; This, is enough.'

Together, the two best friends sat in the snow, neither one wanting to leave.

**OMG, this chapter gave me such trouble! I thought I knew what I was going to write, but about halfway through I got major writers block and nothing came out right. I wrote the 2nd half of this chapter like 3 times. When I finally figured out what to write, I had to stop writing to help watch our puppy :P *Sigh***

**Okay, so Robbie has stopped denying his feelings, but that doesn't mean he's going to totally change whenever he's around Maddie. Even though he likes her, 1) he's only 11, so he still has a lot to learn about love and 2) he's happy just being best friends (for now at least). So don't expect a lot of romance between these two for a while. But don't worry, I will give this plotline a conclusion. I can't tell you _how _it will end, but I will resolve it. **

**Anyway, thank you for being so patient and for all the previous reviews (special shoutout to Cherry-p0p who couldn't review on FF but gave me a very nice review on DA ^-^). I will have fan art for this chapter (and the previous chapter) up soon, and I'll try to update soon. Thank you all again, and please review :D **


	24. Chapter 24

Once the kids finally got back into school, it was nearly Winter Vacation. Christmas time came and went, and during New Years, Maddie and Robbie were out of town with their extended families. Maddie was with her grandparents, and Robbie was with Don. When they both came back, it was already time for school to start up again.

"I swear they make winter break shorter each year," said Maddie as she zipped her winter coat.

"Well, at least you'll get to see your friends again," Margaret replied.

"Yeah, and who knows, maybe you'll get a couple more snowdays," Mordecai added.

"Well, here's hoping," replied Maddie. She gave her parents a hug goodbye and then ran out to the bus stop.

"Hey!" Robbie shouted happily when he saw her. Maddie happily waved back.

"Hey dude, Happy New Years!" Maddie greeted. Robbie smiled.

"Notice anything different?" he asked. Maddie looked at the raccoon. He wasn't wearing a new coat, nor did he have new glasses. No new hairstyle, no.. wait. Since when did she not have to bend her neck to look at him? Maddie smiled.

"Well, I guess I shrunk a couple inches," she said. Robbie glared at her.

"Ha ha," he said dryly. Maddie laughed.

"Just kidding, dude. So, you grew a couple inches over the break?"

"Yep," Robbie answered proudly, "two whole inches! Guess I got a little of Uncle Don's height after all, but I won't be as tall as him. Mom says I'll probably only grow a couple more inches, three if I'm lucky, and that won't happen until High School." The raccoon looked at his friend, mentally comparing his new height to hers. Before, he was half as tall as her, maybe a little less. Now he was at her shoulders. A few more inches, and he would reach her lips...

'Beak! I'll reach her beak and she'll only be like two inches taller than me!' he thought, trying to keep himself from blushing. Stupid weird feelings.

"So, I bet your dad was really happy about this," Maddie commented.

"Eh, he was kinda ticked off at me for a couple days. He wouldn't even walk by me unless I was sitting down," Robbie explained, "but he got over it."

Before they could talk anymore, they heard the familiar groan of the old, metal bus traveling down the road. Reluctantly, the two friends climbed aboard.

Fortunately for them, since it was winter break and everyone - including the teachers - was still in vacation mode, there wasn't a ton of work to be done. Lunchtime came before they knew it.

"Don't you hate how you have to go back to school only a couple days after new years?" Kimi asked as she picked up her lunch.

"I know! It totally sucks," Greg added.

"At least there isn't a ton of homework for a couple days," Maddie replied.

"But after everyone gets back to the n-normal rout-tine, everyone feels like they're behind and the teachers hand out even more work!" Taylor added.

"But at least you have Christmas presents to play with when you finish homework," Robbie commented. The five sat down at their usual table and began eating. As they ate their school food (which frankly made _fruitcake _look delicious), everyone shared what they did over the holidays.

"Hey, do you know what the best thing is about New Years Eve?" Maddie asked, "You get to eat a ton of sweets, because all the adults are eating them too."

"I always pig out on potato chips on new years," Kimi admitted.

"Ice cream and soda for me," Greg replied.

"My dad always make homemade pizza, and my mom and I b-bake cupcakes," Taylor added with a smile.

"Hey Maddie, remember that one year we had new years at the park, and we made brownie sundaes?" Robbie asked.

"Well duh! Those were awesome! A brownie covered in ice cream and chocolate syrup! Talk about Heaven!"

"Yeah, those sundaes were awesome," Robbie said, practically licking his lips. Everyone turned back to their lunch, eating in silence. No one said a word. "We're all thinking about brownie sundaes now, aren't we?" Robbie finally said.

"...Yeah." That's the bad thing about talking about food, as soon as you finish talking about it, you want some.

"You know, I think we still have a box of brownies in the cabinet," Maddie said, smiling.

"And if Dad doesn't eat all the ice cream before we get home, I've got ice cream," Robbie added. All five kids smiled.

Who says you had to wait until New Years to have brownie sundaes?

()()()()()()()()()

"Mom?" Margaret looked up from the sink where she was washing dishes. "Hey Maddie." The group of sixth graders (and one eighth grader) walked into the kitchen. "Hey kids," she greeted. She noticed Robbie holding a gallon of ice cream. "Are you guys going to have a snack?"

"Well, we will in a little bit," Maddie replied, "Mom, could we please make the box of brownies in the cabinet so we can have brownie sundaes?"

"I don't really think you should be using the oven, Maddie," Margaret said, looking a little uneasy, "or, really any part of the kitchen."

"Mom, if you're remembering that pancake incident, I was only 9 and a half! I'm eleven now, I know I can handle it. And besides, Taylor's here. You help your mom with baking, right Taylor?"

"Um, r-right," Taylor replied, shyly.

Margaret thought about it for a moment, and then smiled. "Okay sweetie, you can make them," she replied, "just be careful." The five friends cheered. "I'll be upstairs working on some papers for work if you need anything, and your dad should be home in about an hour."

"Okay, thanks Mom," replied Maddie. Margaret then looked at Robbie. "You may want to put that in the freezer until you need it."

"Oh, right!" The raccoon quickly ran to the freezer and placed the ice cream in the cold. Margaret told the kids to have fun and be careful, and then went upstairs to her at-home office. As soon as the scarlet bird was out of the kitchen, Maddie ran over to the kitchen cabinet and got out the brownie mix.

Other than a few small spills, the five kids made the brownie batter with no troubles at all. But now came the hard part.

The violet bird sat the pan in the oven, and set the timer. "Okay," said Maddie, "They'll take thirty minutes, but we might as well just think of it as around forty minutes since they have to cool."

"So, what do we do now?" Kimi asked. Their cravings combined with the hyponotic aroma from the brownies would make waiting practically unbearable. If they were going to do something to keep them busy, it needed to be fun.

"Well, we could w-watch some tv," Taylor suggested.

"There's never anything on after school," Robbie retorted, "all the good stuff doesn't come on until night. How about we play video games, that should keep us busy."

"We can't," Maddie answered, "our system's broken."

"How'd that happen!"

"Because a certain someone's dad came over here and accidently spilt soda on our system." Robbie decided it would be for the best to be quiet.

"Hey, I know this is kinda old school," Greg started to say, "but what about board games? Those usually kill a lot of time."

"I think I have a few up in my closet," Maddie said, "most of them haven't even been opened yet. I guess we could play one of those." Everyone else seemed okay with the idea, so the five quickly went upstairs.

On the top shelf of her closet, there were several rectangular boxes. There were the usual games like Monopoly, LIFE and Jenga, and there were more obscure titles like . There was even a pack of playing cards. But one box caught their eye. "How about this one?" Maddie asked.

She took out the box. "'Genie of the Lamp'?" Kimi read.

"Well, it looks entertaining," Robbie commented. Since it was the best looking game out of the bunch, everyone agreed to play it. They decided to play it in the living room, so they could hear the timer from the kitchen. Everyone sat down on the floor, and Maddie opened the box.

"Wow, t-that's an interesting board," Taylor commented. This was true, the game board was in the shape of a flower, with four pointed petals. Tiles laced around the board, and in the middle was a plastic genie's lamp. After taking out the cards and player pieces, they all looked at the rules.

"The first player who travels all around the board wins," Robbie read out loud, "Seems easy enough."

"Well, let's get started," Greg said, "hand me the dice." The weasel tossed the dice, and rolled a '3'. He moved his piece, and read the tile he landed on. "Pick a card." So, he did just that. "'Summon the Genie'?" he read, confused, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, how do you usually summon genies?" Maddie asked, as if to state the obvious.

"So, I just rub the plastic lamp and something's supposed to happen?" Greg asked.

"I guess," Maddie replied.

"Maybe a cardboard genie pops out of the lamp of something," Kimi said. Greg just simply shrugged his shoulders. Whatever, if it would make the game continue, he would do it. He stretched out his arm, and touched the lamp. As soon as he did, it began glowing bright. The lights in the living room faded and flickered, and the lamp began to shake.

With a flash of light and a stream of smoke, a tall figure rose from the lamp. The kids coughed and quickly tried to fan the smoke so they could see what exactly they had summoned.

"What the heck is..." Greg started to say, but then the smoke finally started to clear. They could now all clearly see the figure in the middle of the room. Dressed in Arabian clothes with black hair and a long beard, a man floated in front of them with a cocky expression.

"Well, hello children," he said in a deep voice, "I see you have summoned me, and for that I thank you. I guarantee we shall have hours of fun."

Hours? "Uh yeah, we were only planning on playing this game for like half an hour," Maddie explained.

"And we don't really need your help to play, so-" Robbie started to say, but the genie interrupted him.

"Half an hour? Why that's not nearly enough time!" The genie smiled. "But if you children have something else to do, then let me clear your schedules." The genie raised his hands, and they began to glow a bright pink. Appearing from out of nowhere, four pink walls fell from the sky, and trapped the five friends.

"Now, we will be able to play our game from start to finish," he said with a satisfied smile.

"You can't keep us in here!" Kimi shouted.

"Yeah, we don't have to play your game!" Greg added.

The genie narrowed his eyes. "If you would like your freedom, then you _will play._" He did not look like he was kidding, and no one really wanted to make the guy with deadly magical powers angry.

"Alright, fine," Maddie said, "We'll play one game, and at the end of it, you let us leave. Got it?" The genie nodded. "Okay, Taylor I think it was your turn."

For the next ten minutes, everyone took turns rolling the dice and moving their piece the appropriate number of times. Most of the time, they would roll a two or a three, which made the game very, _very _slow. Once, when Kimi (who was the farthest ahead by one square) rolled, the dice rolled off the board and over by Robbie. "What did I roll?" the human girl asked.

Robbie looked at the dice. A one. But then the raccoon thought for a moment. "Six," he answered, "You rolled a si-"

"_Liar!" _Robbie jumped at the loud shout. The genie, clearly angry, lifted his hand. Both his hand and Robbie's game piece started to glow pink. "Cheaters move back two spaces." Robbie's piece did just that, and the tile it landed on began to glow a gold color. "Oh, would you look at that? You landed on 'Sand Storm'."

As soon as those words escaped his mouth, a strong wind blew past the children's heads. The winds became stronger, each gust filled with sand. They all had to crouch down to avoid getting sand in their eyes, but it proved to be useless. It was like they were sitting in the center of a sandstorm. Kimi and Taylor shrieked while Maddie and Greg just tried to keep themselves from flying off the floor.

"Okay okay, I'm sorry! I won't cheat anymore, just make it stop!" the raccoon pleaded. The wind quickly began to die down, and all traces of sand in the pink room disappeared.

"Next turn," the Genie said simply, while at the same time sounding threatening. Not wanting to take anymore chances, the kids followed the rules of the game perfectly. Finally, after almost half an hour, Maddie's piece had finished traveling all around the path. She had landed on the square she started on.

"Okay," the bird said, glaring at the magical genie, "We finished the game, now get back in your lamp."

"The game isn't over," the Genie replied.

"Look at the rules yourself, dude!" Robbie shouted, holding up the rules paper, "it says so right... right... Where is it?" He read the paper three times, and no line about how to win. "Wait a minute, you did this!" Robbie growled at the genie.

"I am the master of this game," stated the Genie, glaring at them all, "so I say how to win, and I say, no one can win. And, because you all agreed to play until someone wins, you'll be playing my game _forever."_

"What! That's not fair!" Maddie shouted.

"Yeah! And besides, if you don't let us go our brownies are gonna burn!" Robbie added.

"Just let us go, Jerkface!" Greg shouted, with everyone else agreeing.

The Genie's eyes began to glow. "_Ungrateful Children," _he said as the wind in the small pink room began to pick up. The kids all gulped. This can't be good. "_The game doesn't end until I say so!" _The stack of playing cards floated up and the cards began to circle the Genie. "_Now play, or Perish!" _The cards all turned sideways.

"Duck!" Maddie yelled. They all dove for cover just as the cards were shot out all over the room. They pierced the wall like knives, but luckily they were all able to dodge them. As she slowly got up, Maddie noticed something on the cards. "Look, all these cards say 'Summon the Genie', so no matter what happens, the people playing always get tricked into releasing him!"

"And now we don't have a way to get him back in the lamp!" Kimi shouted back. The wind began to get stronger, and they all had to shield their eyes. The pink walls began to fill with the same tiles from the game, and the Genie began to grow bigger and bigger. Strangely, even with all the wind and sand, the game board stayed put, as well as the lamp.

"_You shall PLAY!" _The Genie shouted as he summoned all the wind and sand he could.

"This is insane!" Greg yelled.

"Well, what can we do!" Taylor shouted, "He made it impossible to win!"

"Then we just have to find a way for him to lose," Robbie replied, "Every game has a boss, and every boss has a weakness. So what's his!"

It hit Maddie like a slap to the face. "The lamp!" she shouted, "Touching it released him, so touching it again might just put him back!" With their plan in mind, the five friends slowly began to walk forward. But with every step, a large gust of wind pushed them back.

"This is impossible!" Kimi yelled.

"What are we going to do!" Greg shouted.

Robbie, who compared to the others had a better view thanks to his glasses, looked into the wind. He could see the Genie laughing, the glowing lamp and... something. Something floating in the wind. It was small and white... that's it! "Hey Maddie!" the raccoon shouted, getting her attention. "Let's put your catching skills to the test! Think you can catch that!"

"Just tell me when to reach, and I'll do the rest!" Maddie replied. Robbie smiled, and turned back towards the wind. He kept his eyes on the dice, never once losing it. If this were a story about a certain wizard school, he would make an excellent Seeker. Finally, the dice started to be blown towards them. "Okay... now!"

Maddie stretched her right wing out, and felt a small object land in her hand. She smiled in victory. "Hey, Genie!" The Genie stopped laughing and scowled at them. "You wanna play?" she asked, "Okay then, our turn!"

She said a quick prayer, and threw the dice. It hit the floor a couple times before landing. The side facing up: the side with six black dots. "No... no!" The Genie shouted, beginning to panic.

A pink force field appeared around the five, blocking all the wind and sand. With a smile, all five walked forward. "Wait wait, children! I-I can get you snacks to eat while you play! All the snacks you can eat!" They kept walking. The Genie didn't have the power to grab his lamp, it was against the Genie code. He began to sweat. "Or, or I can add more game boards, kinda like levels in a video game! Or, oh I'll do anything! Just don't-!"

"Game over, Genie," Maddie said. She touched the lamp, and it immediantly lost its glow.

_"NOOOOOOOOO!" _The Genie shouted dramatically. The pink walls began to shake, and the Genie's body began to disappear in a tornado connected to the lamp. He got smaller and smaller every second, until finally there was a flash of light.

Everyone opened their eyes. The living room was back to normal, and there was no Genie in sight. The kids all cheered, giving each other high fives and victory hugs. "Wait!" Robbie shouted, interrupting the celebration, "The brownies!"

The kids all rushed into the kitchen. There, they saw Margaret, holding the brownie pan. "You know, you guys are lucky I smelt the brownies from upstairs," she said, "They're a little overdone, but they aren't burnt." The kids all gave a sigh of relief. "So," the scarlet bird said with a smile, "are you guys ready for sundaes?"

"Yeah!" they all shouted happily.

Five minutes later, each kid had a bowl with a brownie, three to four scoops of ice cream and, of course, chocolate syrup. "Mmmmm, so good," Kimi commented.

"Delicious," Maddie added.

"Awesome," Robbie commented.

"Delectable," Taylor smiled.

"D-... uh, um, oh you guys took all the good ones!" Greg shouted. Everyone laughed, and went back to eating their sundaes. Just then, they heard the front door open.

"Hey guys!" said a familiar voice.

"Hey Dad!" Maddie shouted with a smile.

"I smell the brownies!" said another voice.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Robbie asked.

"I heard there was going to be sundaes!" Rigby shouted back. Robbie just laughed. "Hey, what's this game? Whoa, cool lamp."

Not waiting another second, both Maddie and Robbie jumped up and ran to the living room, tackling their dads before they could touch the lamp.

"Hey!" Mordecai shouted, "Why'd you guys tackle us?"

"We just, didn't want you to touch the lamp," Maddie explained with an innocent smile.

"Yeah, trust us it's just, not a good idea," Robbie finished.

"But," Rigby said, confused, "what's the big deal about touching a la-?"

"Who wants brownie sundaes?" Maddie asked.

"We do we do!" Mordecai and Rigby answered happily. Maddie and Robbie quickly got off their fathers, and everyone went back to the kitchen and back to their awesome brownie sundaes. Even if they were nearly forced to play a board game for eternity, it was still a pretty good for a Back-to-School day.

**I actually got this idea when my mom made brownies two days ago. I get my ideas in strange ways sometimes, lol. **

**Hope you all liked this. Not sure when the next update will be since I have to work on an English project and next week will be really busy for me, but I'll try to update the companion/drabble fanfic for this story tomorrow (btw, thanks for all the reviews on that ^-^ )**

**Please review, and I'll see you in the next chapter. **


	25. Chapter 25

It was the last period of the day, and although it was Maddie and Robbie's favorite, they could barely stay awake.

'Why do they have to give us so much homework?' Robbie asked. It was fine when they only handed out a couple worksheets a night. But now he had two books two read, half a dozen worksheets and a project due in one week. All that, plus the days getting darker earlier because it was winter, it seemed impossible to get all the work done and still get a goodnight sleep. He glanced over at the desk next to him.

*Snore* Robbie chuckled. Maddie was out like a light, using her desk as a pillow. Actually, now that he looked at her desk and then his own, a desk seemed like a pretty good pillow at this point.

'Just for a minute or two. Skips is just writing a few things on the board, when he starts talking, I'll wake up...' The raccoon slowly lowered his head to his desk, and closed his eyes.

...

"_Kids...Kids..." _Robbie felt someone touch his shoulder, and shot up, wide awake. "Huh? What!" He heard the rest of the class laugh at him. He looked over and saw that Maddie was now awake too, and behind her was the teacher himself.

"Enjoy your nap guys?" Skips asked dryly.

"We're really sorry, Skips," Maddie said, tired but sincere.

"Yeah," added Robbie, "We'll stay awake for the rest of the class."

"There's only two minutes left of class." Huh? Robbie looked up at the clock. Sure enough, they had slept through the entire class! The kids continued to giggle, and only stopped when Skips began to explain and assign their homework.

The school bell chimed, and the kids rose. "Maddie, Robbie, can ya come see me for a minute?" Skips asked. Both kids looked at each other, slightly worried. They turned around, and walked toward's the yeti's desk.

"We really are sorry, Skips," Maddie apologized, "and we really want to learn about the supernatural and stuff like that." Skips only half listened. While the kids were pleading their case, he was searching for something in his desk.

"It's just that, we've had so much homework," continued Robbie, "and there's like, hardly any daylight. We try to get everything done, but when we do, we have hardly anytime for sleep. But we'll try to stay-"

"Here." Skips sat up, and held out two necklaces. One had a bright purple jewel and was silver, the other had an amber colored jewel and was gold.

"Necklaces?" Maddie asked curiously.

"We fall asleep in your class and you give us a present?" Robbie asked, confused.

"They're Dream Stones," Skips explained, "You two are smart kids, but even smart ones have a little trouble when they start a new grade. There's more work, more new things to learn, and besides, it's winter. Everyone, especially animals, have trouble staying awake and getting work done. But, if you wear these, the small amount of sleep you will get will feel like a year's worth.

"Whoa," both kids said in unison. Both stones began to glow, just a little.

"Have you ever used one of these before?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah," replied Skips, "and I've had others use them too. Usually, I only give them to adults, but I think I'll make an exception, just this once. You two are smart and responsible, so I think you'll be able to handle it." Both kids smiled. It was nice to be treated like an adult, instead of like a little kid.

Both kids took a necklace. Robbie took the silver one, and Maddie took the gold one. "Put them on right before you go to bed, and be careful," Skips warned, "Even if it's a dream, you're not indestructable. Just watch out, and you should feel fully recharged in the morning."

"Thanks Skips!" the kids said in unison. More excited than tired, the two friends walked out of the room, holding their necklaces.

"I wonder if these things will give us any cool dreams," Maddie wondered.

"As long as I get some sleep, I don't care what dreams we have," Robbie replied, "It's just too bad we have a bunch of homework to do, otherwise I would use this thing as soon as I got home."

"Same here, dude." Since they wanted to get asleep as soon as possible, both kids started their homework as soon as they got home. But even so, they still didn't finish until almost nine thirty.

"Aaaand, done!" The raccoon let out a sigh of relief and closed his math book. Not even bothering to put his work away in his bag, Robbie slowly swayed over to his bed and collapsed on it.

"It's a good thing Skips is always right," he mumbled as he grabbed the necklace, "because I really need this." Sitting up just enough to put it on, Robbie placed the necklace around his neck, and hit the pillow.

As he closed his eyes, the stone began to glow bright, sending Robbie into...

The World of Dreams.

()()()()()()()()

Robbie opened his eyes, and looked around. It looked like he was in, space? But their were objects floating around, like his math books and the food he ate for lunch that day. 'These must be my thoughts or something,' Robbie thought. He had read in a dream book that dreams helped organize all the thoughts you had throughout the day, and if you didn't sleep, your mind would go crazy or something.

"Hello?" Robbie called out. No one answered back, his voice just echoed through the starry environment around him. He looked down at himself. Not only did he see that he was still wearing his pajamas and necklace, but he was standing on nothing.

Carefully, he stuck his foot out and took a step. While it looked like his foot was on nothing, to him it felt like an ordinary floor. "This place is weird," he said to himself. He wished he had something to do, or someone to talk to.

_Forward... Walk forward..._

"Huh?" Robbie quickly looked around. No one was there. But he could've sworn he heard a voice telling him to walk forward. Maybe it was his own thoughts or something. "Wait, if I'm here. That means Maddie's probably here too! I mean, we're both wearing dream charms." Now motivated, Robbie got on all fours, and ran forward.

For a while, it felt like he was running on a tredmill, never going anywhere. But then, out of the corner of his eye, the young raccoon saw a flash of light. "There!" Taking a left, Robbie ran towards a small window of light. An oval shaped doorway where he could see light and hear people. He ran faster until finally, he ran through it into the light.

The first thing he felt was grass. At least, it felt like grass, Robbie couldn't look to be sure because he was temporarily blinded by the light. Once his eyes adjusted, he could see he was in the middle of a grassy field, instantly reminding him of the park. But he wasn't alone.

There were people all around him. Some were dressed in fancy clothes laced with tons of money. Some were driving fast cars or were being given awards on a stage. Some were just simply having a picnic with a guy or girl, depending on who they were. The one thing they all had in common, was that they were all wearing dream charms.

"I guess all these people had trouble sleeping too," Robbie commented.

"Dude! There you are!" The raccoon looked, and saw a familiar, violet bird in pajamas.

"Maddie!" Robbie said happily, "You're here too."

"Yep." The two looked out onto the grassy field. "So, I guess this is like a dream world," Maddie commented.

"And if this is all a dream, that means we can do whatever we want," Robbie replied with a smile.

"That, is exactly what I was thinking." Not wanting to waste another moment, Maddie closed her eyes and began to slowly float off the ground. She opened her eyes and grinned. "Sweet!"

"Yeah, flying is good," Robbie said with a sly smile, "but I was thinking something like this." He closed his eyes, and in a flash, the area around them started to look like a video game, complete with platforms and small enemies to defeat.

"Race you to the end!" Robbie shouted before taking off, "and no flying!"

"You're on, Furball!" Maddie dropped down onto one of the platforms, and began running. Since this was a dream, both were naturally skilled at jumping from platform to platform and defeating enemies (not that they weren't already, they were Mordecai and Rigby's kids afterall). Both kids laughed, having fun for what felt like the first time in weeks.

Both kids reached the end at the same time, and jumped down from the last platform and landed in the soft grass. "Dude, that was awesome!" Maddie shouted happily.

"I know! And if we could do that, just think at all the other cool stuff we can do here!" Robbie said, his tail swishing back and forth.

"Well, I'm sure you two can think of something." Both kids looked up, and saw a man standing in front of them. He was pale but had a kind smile. His eyes were a bright gold color, and his blonde hair was so light it nearly looked white. He was wearing a tan shirt and shorts, like that of an explorer, and he had a small pouch tied to his belt buckle. But one thing they noticed about him, was that there was no dream charm around his neck.

"Who are you?" Maddie asked.

"Call me Sam," the man said with a friendly tone, "and I have to say, out of all the dreamers I've seen here, you guys are definitely the most creative. Most of the time people here dream about some promotion or a dream date."

"Well, we are just kids," Robbie replied.

"True, true," Sam replied. He looked them over, and his eyes flashed for a moment when he spotted the charms. He offered them a smile. "You know, you two look perfect for the adventure I have in mind."

"Adventure?" the kids repeated in unison.

"I've tried to get other people to join me but they're too busy with their own dreams," Sam explained, "Besides, I don't think any of those guys could run through a level like that, dodging ammo and fighting enemies. So, what do you say?"

"Uh, can you give us a minute?" Maddie asked. Sam nodded, and the kids turned away from him.

"What's wrong?" Robbie asked.

"Well, are you sure we should trust this guy?" Maddie asked, "I mean, Skips said we needed to be careful. And besides, this guy isn't even wearing a charm. So, what does that make him?"

"It probably just means he's a dream we thought of," Robbie replied, "I mean, it's possible, right?"

"Yes yes," said the cheshire cat, who had appeared out of nowhere, "just because there are real people here does not mean dream people can't exist."

Robbie glared at the purple cat. "I thought you were going to leave me alone."

"Fine, fine, I can see when I'm not wanted," the cheshire cat said, shrugging his shoulders. He flashed them one final grin as he began to disappear. "Oh, and do be careful of those sheep. Ta-ta!" With that, he was gone.

"Dumb cat," Robbie mumbled.

"O-kay," Maddie said, a little weirded out, "Anyway, I guess you're right. I mean, you can't get hurt in a dream."

"Exactly, now come on!" Robbie said excitedly, "how often do we get to go on an adventure on a school night?" Maddie smiled. "Hm hm," she said before they both turned back around.

"We're in!" they said.

"Excellent!" Sam cheered, "Alright, here's what we need to do." Sam closed his eyes, and a model appeared. There was a grassy field, a canyon, and a mountain on the model. "We're here," he said, pointing at the field, "and all we have to do is get across the canyon, pass the test just before the mountain, and get the treasure!"

"What's the treasure?" Maddie asked.

"I don't know, I've never been able to pass the test," Sam said, a little ashamed, "but with your help, we'll all get the treasure. So, are you guys ready?" Determined, both kids nodded and hm hm'd. "Great, now, follow me."

The trio began walking through the grass, away from the other dreamers and their wishes. The farther they walked, the quieter it got. Slowly, the bright blue sky started to turn grey, blanketed with ashened clouds. The grass also became thinner and thinner until finally there was none at all.

"Are we getting close to the canyon, Sam?" Robbie asked as a cool wind blew past his fur. With a shiver, he quickly imagined a warmer pair of pajamas.

"We should be getting-Ah! Here we are!" The two kids looked up ahead, and saw a old wooden bridge, stretching across the canyon. They couldn't even see the bottom of the rocky canyon, which was covered in fog. If they listened closely, they could hear some sort of sound. It sounded almost like... baa-ing.

"Well, we better get going, kids," said Sam as he placed a foot on the bridge. It moaned under his weight, and they almost thought it would collapse.

"Can't we just dream up a better bridge?" Maddie asked.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, this canyon clouds the mind, which means you can't dream," Sam said.

"So I can't fly across it?" Sam shook his head. "Darn," Maddie said, pouting just a little. With no other options, the kids slowly began to walk behind Sam, creeping across the frail bridge.

"Good thing this is a dream," Robbie mumbled as he gazed down below. If it was real life, he would've been scared of falling down there.

After what seemed like an eternity, the trio finally made it across the bridge. "Well, nothing like a dangerous bridge to get you in the treasure hunting mood," Sam joked. The two kids laughed.

"So, up next is the test, right?" Maddie asked.

"Yep," Sam said, "they say no one has ever passed it, and horrible things happen to the people who fail."

Robbie gulped. "Well, good thing this is all a dream," Maddie said, echoing what Robbie had said earlier.

"Yes, a dream," mumbled Sam, "come on, we better get going." As the three walked, Robbie nudged Maddie.

"Hey Maddie, is it just me, or are you getting that creepy vibe from this place?" Robbie asked.

"No, I'm feeling it too," Maddie said, "like, something's going to happen."

"If you two want to quit, you can," Sam said as he continued walking, "just touch your charms to send you back to the real world."

"Really?" Maddie asked. It was that simple? Well then again, it was a dream after all. Which meant, that nothing could hurt them, right? "Um, actually, we're fine. Unless you want to leave, dude." She looked at Robbie.

"If you don't want to leave, then I'm not leaving either," Robbie said with a smile, "besides, I want to see what this treasure is. Probably a bunch of gold and jewels."

"Or maybe it's like an ultimate charm that gives you awesome dreams forever," Maddie suggested.

As the two continued trying to guess what the treasure was, Sam chuckled. "Quite the active dreamers indeed."

The sky became darker as they continued. A shadow loomed over them. "Look, I can see the mountain," Maddie alerted, pointing in the distance, "at least, I think it's the mountain. It's so black it looks more like a volcano."

"No, that's definitely the mountain," Sam said, "and I think that's our test up ahead."

"What is it," Robbie asked, looking ahead. There was a small archway made out of stones, but a flat piece of rock with two holes in it was blocking the entrance. "Looks like we need a key."

"Which we already have, two keys actually," Sam said with a smile. The kids gave a confused look. "Hand me your charms," he asked, his hand out. His eyes flashed again, but only for a moment.

"That's all you have to do?" Maddie asked, "Seems like a pretty easy test to me."

"Only if you have the right key," Sam retorted. Slowly, the two kids took off their charms, and handed them to Sam. The blonde smiled, and turned to place the jems in the holes. He placed the amber one in the left hole, and the violet one in the right. As soon as he did, the rock began to shake.

With a new redish glow around them, the jems floated out of the rock and back into Sam's hands. The flat stone crumbled, until it was nothing more than rubble. Curious of what was behind it, the two kids took a step forward, and looked.

Both kids gasped. All around the mountain, was disaster. Fires, tornadoes, corpses, terrifying animals, and horrible monsters. The worst part was, it all look so real. Even Maddie and Robbie, who were used to battling monsters, were frightened. It was like a living nightmare.

"We're going to go in there?" Robbie asked.

"No." Both kids turned to look at Sam. But Sam had changed. His hair was no longer a bright blonde, but it had faded to almost a grey tone. The wind blew all around him as he gave them an evil smile.

"What do you mean 'No'?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, what the heck Sam?" Robbie asked, scowling.

"Oh please, Sam is so common," the man said, as he inspected the jems, "How about you call me by the nickname given to me by humans years ago. Sandman. I always kinda liked that."

"The sandman?" they repeated softly.

"Yes, and I must say out of all the people I've convinced to come here," the Sandman began to say with a smirk, "all the lies I've said to get people to come here; A loved one, riches, a paradise beyond your wildest dreams. Out of all those, you two were the easiest to trick." He began to laugh while the two kids glared at him.

"Give us back our charms so we can leave!" Maddie shouted.

"Oh please, do you really think I'd be afraid of a couple of kids?"

"Yeah, cause these 'couple of kids' are gonna kick your butt!" Robbie yelled. Both kids ran forward, ready to attack, when the Sandman quickly reached into his pouch and threw something at them. Sand. The kids stopped, and tried to rub the stinging sand out of their eyes. With each passing second, they became more tired and sluggish. Collapsing to the ground, they both glanced up at Sandman one last time.

He chuckled. "Sweet dreams," he whispered, just before they both closed their eyes.

()()()()()()()()

Robbie groaned as he rubbed his head. "Wha-?" He felt around, expecting soft blankets or his bedside table, but instead felt only ash and rock. His eyes opened in a flash, and he sat up. He was still in the dream world, but where was he exactly. He heard a soft moan.

"Maddie?" The bird began to slowly get up, and looked around.

"Where are we?" she asked. Robbie shrugged his shoulders. All he knew was that they had to get out of here. He was about to ask his friend what they should do when he heard small footsteps. Almost like a small army. The footsteps got louder, and sharper.

Standing up, both kids looked ahead at a small cave. It was pitch black, except for the pairs of burning red eyes. They gasped, and several beasts ran out of the cave.

They were sheep, but definitely not ordinary sheep. Their wool was coal black, and their eyes were evil. They looked more like wolves than sheep. "Run!" Robbie shouted.

"Wait!" Robbie stopped, and Maddie gave him a small smile. "Why run, when we can fight?" Quickly, they both thought of their weapon of choice (For Maddie, a baseball bat, and for Robbie, a lightsaber. What? They looked cool!) But nothing appeared.

"Why isn't anything happening!" Maddie asked in frusteration. Robbie glanced up, and gasped.

"Look, the bridge!" he said, pointing upwards. The old wooden bridge that connected the two canyons loomed over them. "Which means we're in the canyon where we can't dream."

Maddie looked back at the sheep. They were getting closer. "Okay. Now we can run." They raced for the canyon walls. All they had to do was climb them, and they could dream again.

As soon as they reached the wall, they began climbing. It was hard since neither kids had climbing experience, except with trees. But their fear of the sheep and anger at Sam/Sandman was enough to motivate them.

As she reached for another ledge to hold onto, Maddie felt a sharp pain in her ankle. She let out a yelp. "Maddie!" Robbie shouted, instantly worried. The bird looked down, and saw one of sheep biting her. She moved her leg back, and then forward, knocking the sheep against the hard wall and knocking it off her leg.

"I'm fine," she replied, "but, I... I got hurt."

"Well, can you still climb?" Robbie asked.

"No, Robbie, listen," Maddie said, "I was hurt." It took a moment for Robbie to realize what she meant. She could feel pain, she was hurt. In a dream. They could get hurt in the dream world. Which meant, if they got hurt or died here...

"We have to hurry!" Robbie shouted. Since it wasn't too bad of a bite, Maddie was able to continue. The process was slow, but they were making progress. Maddie looked down, and shrieked. "Look out!" she shouted.

Robbie looked, just to see a sheep bodyslam him. It had it's legs wrapped around the raccoon, determined to make him fall. "No! Let, me, go!" Robbie tried to hit the sheep until finally, he gave it a good hit in the nose. The sheep was about to lose it's balance. "_W-Wait."_

Robbie looked at the sheep, and it's eyes had faded from a furious red to a sad brown. "_Y-you must get your charms back, or you will b-b-become o-one of us. Escape this place! You must-..." _The sheep moaned. Before it let go, it said one more thing. _"Th- ou- gls." _With that, the sheep fell, hitting the ground with a thud. Robbie looked at the body, silently mourning him. But he couldn't stay for long, more sheep were coming. So, the two kids continued to climb until they reached the top.

"Okay, so the plan is to go back to the mountain, and get our charms back," Maddie said.

"Right, but we need to hurry," Robbie said, "or we'll become..." Maddie shivered. Just the thought of being one of those creatures made her more determined to wake up.

"I think I know how we can get there fast," she said. Closing her eyes, she thought for just a moment, and two motorbikes appeared, complete with rocket-powered engines.

"No way!" Robbie shouted, smiling widely. Maddie smiled back, and they climbed on their bikes. Pressing a red button on their handlebars, they both shot off like rockets. They reached the mountain in record time, but even at speeds of 100 mph, it was still frightening.

"No matter what happens, don't slow down!" Maddie shouted.

"Do you really need to tell me that?" the young junior track team star asked. As they went up the road to the mountain, they had to dodge falling debree and attacks from monsters. Wind blew in their faces, almost knocking them down a couple times, but they continued onward. If they were ever going to wake up, they had to hurry.

"I see a building!" Robbie shouted. There was a small house made of wood and glass, standing out against the black mountain.

"Lets go!" Maddie yelled back. They increased their speed, and were getting closer. When suddenly, they just stopped. "What the-?" They bikes started sinking into the ground.

"Quick sand!" Robbie shouted. Maddie scowled, and jumped off her bike. Floating in midair, she grabbed Robbie and flew them both over to the house. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Maddie replied. She continued flying towards the house until they bursted through the door.

"Okay Sam! Give us back our-!" Robbie shouted, feeling like an action hero. But he looked around. There was no one there, the house was dark and empty. "But, I, huh?"

"Where is he?" Maddie asked. She stepped forward, and the lights flashed on. As soon as they did, ropes shot out, and tied their hands and feet. The kids let out a yell, and a laugh echoed throughout the room.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Sandman asked, "Wow, you guys really are kids." They scowled at him. Sandman was in new clothes now, a gold outfit with a royal purple cape with stars on it flowing behind him. In the background, they could see shelves lined up in a circle. Each shelf had several jems on it, dream charms he had stolen from other people. On the middle shelf, their sat an hourglass filled with sand.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Maddie repeated. Sandman raised an eyebrow.

"Wait. Are you mocking me?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"Stop that!"

"Stop what?

"Mocking me!"

"I'm not mocking you," Maddie said casually, "Just distracting you."

"What do you mean...?" Sandman then saw that Robbie was no longer next to Maddie, but behind her.

"Funny thing about raccoons," Robbie said with a sly smile, "We're pretty good escape artists." Both Robbie's hands and feet were free, as well as Maddie's. They could almost hear their dads yelling "OOOHHHHHHH!"

"Well, no matter," Sandman said with a smile, "Thanks to your charms, I'm more powerful than I've ever been before. So I'm afraid this is _my _dream now."

Their were several puffs of smoke, and the kids were suddenly surrounded by nightmare monsters.

"We can still dream," Maddie reminded him. Quickly, a steel baseball bat appeared in her hands, and a laser gun appeared in Robbie's.

"Well, good luck," Sandman retorted casually. He knew there was no chance of two eleven years olds beating him. "Monsters! Attack!"

The monsters wasted no time in attacking. Most of them were all muscle with an ugly face, while others had multiple heads. Staying calm so they wouldn't lose their edge, Maddie and Robbie began to attack too. Maddie aimed for the legs or the stomach, stunning the monster and giving Robbie enough time to finish it off with a laser blast. As soon as the monster was finished, it disappeared in a cloud of smoke. Unfortunately, two more monsters appeared in it's place.

"This is impossible!" Robbie shouted, "the more we kill, the more appear!"

"I know, dude!" Maddie shouted, "but what can we do? We can't get to Sam until we get passed his army!"

Robbie scowled an looked up at Sam. The blonde looked cocky, confident that he couldn't lose. Robbie wanted to wipe that smile off his face, but he knew any try would probably be shot right back at him. Sam was right afterall, this was his dream.

'There has to be a way to wake him up,' Robbie thought, looking around. Maybe there was a hanging chandelier, those were always useful in the movies. But there was no chandelier, just shelves filled with charms and... an hourglass.

_"Th- ou- gls." The our gls. The, the hour glass!_

The raccoon smiled, and held up his laser. "What are you doing?" Maddie asked. Robbie didn't answer.

"Hey! Sandy!" Sandman looked up, and saw the laser pointed at him. Robbie fired, but Sandman just casually moved to the right. He didn't even have to move that far away, he probably could've stayed where he was and he would've been safe.

"That was your best attempt?" Sandman asked with a laugh, "you missed me by about a mile!"

"Wasn't aiming at you!" Robbie shouted back with a smile. Sandman's smile fell, and his eyes widened. He turned around, and by the time he knew what was happening, it was too late.

The laser hit the hourglass, and it shattered into a million pieces. "NOOOOOOOOO!"

Maddie and Robbie cheered. "Nice job, Furball," Maddie complemented. Robbie smiled. But they couldn't stay that way for long. The castle began to shake. "Quick, the jems!"

Both of them ran over to the shelves, and saw about half a dozen violet and amber colored jewels in between the other colors. "Crap," Robbie mumbled.

They both heard a roar, and turned to look. Sandman was turning to sand, but that didn't stop him. He began to rise, like a giant sand monster. If they weren't in such danger, Robbie probably would've mentioned how Sam was ripping off one of his favorite comic book villains.

"Try every jem!" Robbie yelled, picking up a violet jem. He touched the top, and nothing happened. He threw it to the ground and tried another one. Sandman was getting stronger, and more and more furious.

"Why do all these stupid jems look the same!" Maddie yelled as she threw another amber colored one to the ground.

_"YOU WILL **NEVER ESCAPE!" **_The sandman shouted. He moved his arm back, and prepared to give one final attack. They were running out of time.

"Wait!" Maddie shouted, "The top shelf!" Sure enough, there were the two amber and purple jems, almost glowing like a beacon. They reached up and grabbed them, just as the sand came down on top of them.

"AHHHHHHH!"

Robbie sat up, panting. His eyes darted around, until he realized. He was in his own bedroom. No monsters or shaking castles or sandmen. He looked down at his paw, and saw the violet colored jem, glittering in the light of the rising sun.

The young raccoon smiled. "Sweet dreams," he said proudly.

"Robbie, are you okay?" Eileen yelled from the kitchen.

"I'm fine!" Robbie shouted back, "Just a wild dream!"

"Well, alright, if you're sure." Robbie smiled, and placed the jem on his bedside table. As he stood up and walked to his closet to get his clothes for the day, he realized something.

He didn't feel tired, not one bit. In fact, he felt completely awake. "Guess he was right again," Robbie said to himself, laughing a little. He would have to thank Skips before class, and he would definitely have to tell their friends about their dream adventure.

**Phew! Another super long chapter, but really fun to right :D **

**Now for the bad news. I have three huge projects in English to do. One's due Monday, the others are due in a week or so, and all of these assignments are worth major points. And I'm afraid if I try to work on projects and fanfiction at the same time, I'll end up doing a crappy job on both. So, as of right now, both this story and "Little Moments" are on hiatus. But don't worry, the hiatus will end in March and you should expect an update on the first weekend of March. I'm really sorry about this, but if I fail any of my classes, I'm banned from fanfiction indefinitely. So yeah, I hate to do this, but it's better than the latter happening. **

**Also, I've kinda been thinking about this idea. How would you guys feel about having a story arch stretched out through five or six chapters. So far, all this story has been is just days in the lives of Maddie, Robbie and the original characters. So basically, it would be like having a bunch of episodes and then a movie, and then more episodes. Nothing's for certain yet, I'm just throwing ideas in my head, and if this did happen it would be at least a month before it got started. But I want to know your opinions. Would you want me to write a 5 - 10 chapter story arch in the middle of this story, or would you want me to continue with this format? Please leave your opinions in your reviews. **

**Please review, and I'll see you guys in March! :D **


	26. Chapter 26

**I'm back! And I spent about four days writing to make up for the hiatus. If you can, please review all the chapters I upload today. I'm not asking just for the review count, I just want to see what you guys think, and I want to make sure I haven't lost any of my skills thanks to homework and no writing for two weeks. Thanks in advance! Hope you enjoy the chapter! It's another 'normal' chapter, nothing really 'irregular' happens, but it was still fun to write. Hope you all enjoy!**

"Keep pulling!"

"I am pulling! Just a little bit more!"

The rusted metal of the window sill put up a good fight, but at last it started to give in. The small window fell, and a blast of cool air entered the bus. Maddie and Robbie, as well as some of the kids around them, cheered while Mordecai and Rigby let out a relieved sigh.

"How old are these things anyway?" Rigby asked, rubbing his hands.

"At least we have air now," Mordecai commented.

"One of the best things about spring," Maddie smiled, letting the wind blow past her feathers. After three months of snow, ice and harsh winds, the weather changed to sunny days and light breezes. And what better way to start off spring than with a field trip?

"How much longer?" Robbie asked, "it's been almost half an hour, we have to be getting close!"

"I just hope we get there soon," Rigby added, "I'm starving."

"Dude, you just ate breakfast," replied Mordecai. The two dads, as well as a couple teachers and parents were acting as chaperones for the 6th graders field trip to the Twin Peaks Zoo and Aquarium.

"So? Opening that window took a lot of energy," Rigby retorted.

"I did most of the work!"

Before the raccoon could reply, he heard the kids in the old school bus start to cheer. "Dad, Rigby, look! We're here!" Maddie shouted happily. Forgetting about their argument for the time being, the two looked out the window at the huge zoo.

There was an iron gate, and a concrete wall surrounding the zoo. There were several banners with pictures of zoo animals and advertisments. There was also a huge fountain with a stone lion spitting water just a few feet inside the zoo.

"What are we going to see first?" Kimi asked.

"What do you mean? We're going to the African area first," said Greg, smiling, "I heard from my cousin that if you get there at the right time, you get to watch them feed the lions!"

"There's a dolphin show at noon," Robbie announced as he read the brochure/map one of the teachers had given them (he was probably the only kid who kept his), "and a reptile show at two! We can't miss those!"

"Oh, and we have to see the polar bears! And the eagles!" Maddie added. As the four friends excitedly discussed their plan, Mordecai and Rigby were still looking outside at the zoo. It had just been built a couple years ago, so it was just as much a mystery to Mordecai and Rigby as it was to the kids.

"Dude, this is going to be sweet!" Rigby grinned, like a little kid.

"Yeah, but remember we have a job to do," Mordecai reminded.

"What!" Rigby looked at the bluejay in disbelief. "Look, I only came here for two reasons." He held up two fingers and counted off. "To hang out with Robbie, and to check out this cool zoo. I didn't come here to work."

Mordecai rolled his eyes. "Rigby, we were allowed to come here because we agreed to help chaperone. That means we need to watch the kids and make sure nothing happens. So just please promise to be responsible and not screw anything up."

"What? I never-... Well I-... Okay fine! I won't screw anything up." Rigby crossed his arms and pouted. Mordecai just smiled. Same old Rigby.

The old bus screeched to a hault, and one of the teachers stood up. "Okay children, get off the bus in an orderly fashion, and find your assigned adult. Each group will get two hours to walk around, an hour for lunch, and at two thirty we'll all meet up to go to the education film showing at the zoo theatre. Afterwards we will return to the school. Now, enjoy your field trip."

The kids cheered and ran off the bus in the blink of an eye. Once Rigby got off the bus, he was instantly in a better mood. Maddie, Robbie, Kimi, Greg and the several other kids in their groups found Mordecai and Rigby with no trouble at all, and they walked into the zoo.

()()()()()()()

To avoid arguing about where to go first, they all agreed to just follow the zoo path and eventually they would see everything. "Okay, first up," Mordecai said, "we have, elephants?"

The exhibit was empty. "Hey, what gives?" Rigby shouted, "where are the elephants?"

"I guess they're sleeping in their house," said Kimi.

"Aw, what a ripoff," Rigby pouted. The kids were a little disappointed, but they would rather get over it and keep moving than stand their and sulk.

"Come on, Dad, let's just move on," Robbie suggested. Rigby started to walk but then saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

"Wait! There's one!" the raccoon shouted, running back over to the fence. The large pachyderm lazily walked over to it's pile of food, and slowly started eating. "Hey, over here!" Rigby shouted. He then smiled at the kids. "Watch this guys, I'm going to make it do something cool." He turned back to the elephant and continued making noises and flailing his arms.

"Rigby..." warned Mordecai.

"Trust me, dude," said Rigby, "I know what I'm doing." After almost a full minute of this, the elephant stopped eating and walked over to the fence. "Okay, get ready! It's about to do something really-!"

The elephant stretched out it's trunk, and blew bits of hay and spit right into Rigby's face. Everyone nearly fell to the floor laughing, while Rigby yelled and tried to get all the now-disgusting hay off him.

"I guess you were right, Robbie's dad," Greg said in between laughs, "that was pretty cool!"

"You were so asking for that, dude," Mordecai added.

"STOP TALKIIIIING!" Still laughing, the kids and Mordecai started to walk to the next animal. But while Robbie walked, he noticed how disappointed his dad looked.

"Hey, at least now we can say we saw an elephant up close," Robbie said with a small smile, "I bet no other kid or parent here can say that."

Rigby smiled back, giving his son a silent thanks, and the two continued to follow the group.

()()()()()()()()()

They had went through Africa, and had seen some of the bird exhibits and a petting zoo (though, they skipped that because all the kids claimed they were 'too old for that kind of thing'). Mordecai and Rigby did a great job of entertaining the kids as they went from animal to animal, making sure they wouldn't get bored. Now they were in what the zoo called "Reptile Country".

The kids all stood in awe at the 20 feet long boa, and watched the tiny frogs hop around. "Here are the turtles," Maddie announced. It was a large fenced in area (though not really a fence, just a 4 feet tall brick wall) filled with fifteen to twenty turtles.

"They're kinda cute," Kimi commented, "You know, in a turtlish sort of way."

"They must be a type of desert turtle, since there isn't any water in their area," Robbie added, "Maybe an African turtle."

"Thanks for that, Robbie-pedia," Greg joked, making everyone else giggle a little.

"Hey, what are those two doing?" asked a rabbit girl, pointing at two turtles. All the kids fell silent.

"I, don't know," Robbie said.

"Maybe they're playing leap frog?" a boy asked.

"No, they're probably just wrestling for territory or something," replied Kimi.

"Hey, Dad!" Maddie yelled as her father, who was still watching the lizards with Rigby. Hearing his daughter, Mordecai quickly walked over.

"Yeah, what is it Maddie?" Mordecai asked.

"We were wondering, what are those two turtles doing?" Maddie asked. Mordecai opened his mouth to answer, but as soon as he saw the two turtles, the bluejay froze. A blush crept onto his face.

"Uh, well, you see, uh." Curious to see what was going on, Rigby walked over to the turtles, and when he saw the predicament his friend was in... he couldn't stop laughing. Mordecai growled at the raccoon.

"Well, the two turtles... Let's just move on and, give them some privacy." Rigby laughed even harder. 'Remind me to slap him when the kids aren't looking,' Mordecai told himself as he gently pushed the kids away from the turtles.

"Wait, I think I know what they're do-," Robbie started to say.

"We're moving on!"

**A/N Okay, I didn't put this in here just to be immature. This actually happened when my family went to a zoo, and my brother and I were about the same age as Maddie and Robbie. What made it better, my parents acted almost exactly like Mordecai and Rigby. My dad, embarrassed and trying to get my brother and I as far away as possible, and my mom, laughing her head off XD So yeah, I had to put that in there. Okay, back to the story**

()()()()()()()()

The Asian exhibit was next, complete with tigers, pandas and a koi pond. Needless to say, it was pretty cool. After that was the Aquarium. "It's only 11:45!" Robbie announced, "Almost time for the dolphin show!" Without hesitation, the twenty kids ran into the aquarium, leaving Mordecai and Rigby in the dust.

"W-wait!" Mordecai shouted, "Uh, get into the buddy system, or, I mean, ...oh forget it." They were sixth graders after all, Mordecai was pretty sure they could handle themselves without getting lost or into trouble.

"Cone on dude, let's just go enjoy the show," Rigby suggested. Walking at a calmer pace, the two walked into the aquarium and quickly found the room where the show was. They quickly found the kids, who were of course in the splash zone. Mordecai and Rigby decided to sit a little higher up, so they could stay dry and so they could keep an eye on the kids.

The trainer came out, wearing a purple swimsuit that definitely complimented her figure. She was high pitched, overly cheery, and a little annoying, but all that was forgotten when the dolphins swam out. They did everything from waving at the crowd, to jumping through a ring of fire! When the show was over, Mordecai and Rigby stood up and clapped.

"That was so cool!" Rigby shouted, his tail going wild with excitement.

"Yeah, that was pretty cool," Mordecai agreed. Once the clapping died down, and reached down to grab his bag. "Okay, let's go get the kids."

"Uh, Mordecai." Mordecai looked down, and saw the splash zone seats now empty. "Man, for a group of sixth graders they can move pretty fast."

"We have to find them!" Mordecai shouted. Quickly, the two dads jumped out of their seats and ran towards the exit. They ran all around the aquarium, but no sign of the kids. They couldn't even hear any echos of them talking or giggling, which meant: "They must've ran outside the aquarium."

As they ran out of the aquarium, Mordecai hoped the kids didn't wander off too far. Luckily, it was the bluejay's lucky day. He spotted the kids over by the carousel. Some of them were riding the spinning ride while others were watching and talking.

"Hey you guys," Mordecai said, his face serious, "that wasn't cool."

"Yeah, we could've, I mean, you all could've gotten into trouble," Rigby added. The kids, looking slightly guilty, walked over to the two adults.

"You guys can't just," Mordecai started to say, but Maddie and Robbie walked up to them.

"Um, Dad?" said Maddie, "we got you guys these from the soda machine." She and Robbie held up two bottles of Radi-Cola.

"We figured you guys would be thirsty after walking around half the zoo," Robbie added.

"Oh, yeah thanks!" Rigby said with a smile, taking the soda. Mordecai took his as well.

"This doesn't mean you guys are off the hook," Mordecai reminded, "but just promise me you guys won't run off anymore, okay?" The kids all agreed, and all was forgiven. Mordecai smiled. As long as they didn't get into any trouble, Mordecai figured it was all good. Besides, this soda was really refreshing.

()()()()()()()()()

After a few more animals, Mordecai spotted a small zoo restaurant. "Okay guys, I think it's lunch time!" Mordecai announced, singing the last two words. The kids cheered, and everyone went into the diner.

Since each kid had brought their own money, Mordecai and Rigby just bought their own food and sat down. Most of the kids got the same thing, pizza or a burger, and they all sat in the same area, so they were easy to keep track of.

"So far the day's been great," Rigby said, as he sunk his teeth into his burger.

"Hmm hmm," agreed Mordecai, "yeah, nothing super weird or dangerous. Guess the zoo isn't as random as the park."

"Or the forest, or the mall," Rigby added, "I still can't believe all those mannequins came to life. How did that even happen."

"You kept insulting the clothes they had to wear and pissed them off, so they came to life and started attacking the stores and ripping all the clothes."

"Oh yeah. ...That was a fun day," Rigby said with a smile, "weird, but fun." The two looked back over at the kids and saw that most of them had left their tables and were at the ice cream stand.

Robbie had gotten a chocolate shake, Kimi and Greg got popsicles, and Maddie got vanilla-chocolate swirl cone. Mordecai started chuckling to himself. "What's so funny?" Rigby asked.

"Nothin'. Just remembering when Maddie was little," Mordecai answered, "she couldn't eat a cone to save her life. The ice cream would always drip on her hands and clothes. And have the time she would..."

As Maddie took a step forward, she stumbled just a little, and the cone slipped and fell to the floor with a splat.

"...drop it."

"Aw man," Maddie pouted, "there goes all my food money." But then she felt a tap on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Mordecai.

"Go get some napkins and clean it up while I stand in line," he said. 'Guess some things never change,' Mordecai thought to himself as Maddie gave him a smile, and then went to go get napkins.

()()()()()()()()()

"Ugh, could that movie be anymore boring!"

Mordecai rolled his eyes. "Dude, it wasn't that bad."

"Says you," Rigby retorted, "I know I wasn't the only one sleeping in there."

"Well the kids liked it, so it was at least halfway good," Mordecai commented, "If you're going to complain about something, complain about these prices."

After the education movie was over, the teacher in charge said they all had half an hour to look at the gift shop. Too bad everything was worth at least two months of allowance for a kid. "I mean, look at this! 20 bucks for a tee shirt? 25 for a stuffed animal? Even the bucket of cheap plastic animals costs 15 bucks."

"You're starting to sound like Benson, man," Rigby said as he took another sip from his soda.

"I'm just sayin', it's not right." Since most of the kids could barely afford a pen in the shop, they were just walking around bored.

"Well, if they kids are just going to stay here," Rigby started to say, "then how 'bout we go play that game outside the store. I bet I can totally kick your butt!"

"Wait, there's a game outside?"

"Yeah, one of those old arcade games. It looks pretty old, but that doesn't mean I won't be able to kick your butt!"

Ignoring Rigby, Mordecai started to get an idea. He walked up to the cashier, and asked for ten dollars in quarters.

Twenty minutes later, the kids were standing behind the 'Tiger Warrior' game machine cheering and yelling. Each kid had been given two quarters to play the game. It may not've been a souvenier, but it gave them something to do.

"Yes yes yes!" Maddie shouted happily. Her character was gaining the upper hand.

"You're doing it, Maddie!" Kimi cheered.

"Not for long," Greg shouted back, "Come on Robbie! Get back up!"

"Don't worry dude, I've got this," Robbie said with confedence, "If I remember it correctly..." The young racoon moved his joystick in five directions and then pressed B. His character gained all his power back.

"What! Nonononono!" Maddie shouted, back in the game, "How do you even know about cheat codes for a game this old!"

"I have my sources," Robbie said with a smile. After another minute, the time limit ran out, and it was a tied game. The kids cheered while Maddie and Robbie gave each other a high five.

"Okay guys, who's next?" Mordecai asked.

"Why don't you go Mr. Quintel?" Kimi asked.

"Yeah, you and Robbie's dad can fight!" Greg added.

"Yeah! Do it Dad!" Maddie and Robbie shouted.

"Oh, I don't know kids," Rigby smirked, "I don't want Mordecai crying all the way back to the school."

"Oh really?" Mordecai asked, giving the raccoon as 'challenge accepted' look.

"Hmm hmm, really."

"Well then, we'll just see who's crying." He held up a quarter, and the kids went wild. After they both put in a quarter, the game had begun.

"Come on Dad! Kick his butt!" Maddie shouted.

"Show him your skills!" Robbie yelled.

Rigby did pretty good... for the first ten seconds. After that, Mordecai quickly gained the upper hand, finding the best weapon and attacking. Thankfully, at the last minute Rigby remembered the cheat code Robbie had used, and gained all his power back.

Rigby's character also found the 'tiger's blood' power up, making him faster. It actually looked like Rigby was getting the upper hand, his player had gotten a few good hits in before Mordecai was able to block him.

"Okay, time to end this," the bluejay stated. He pressed the A button, and his character began to glow. BAM! BAM! BAM! Pixelated explosions covered the screen, and when they cleared, Rigby's character was on the ground.

'PLAYER 1 WINS!"

"Oohhhhhh!" Mordecai shouted while Rigby groaned.

"Awesome!" Maddie said with a smile. All the sixth graders ran up to compliment Mordecai. As the bluejay looked around at all of them, he noticed a clock outside the shop that read 4:25. They were supposed to be at the buses by 4:15.

"Aw crap! Guys, we have to go, now!" Mordecai said. Quickly, the group ran past the zoo gate and towards the parking lot where a very angry teacher was waiting by the bus.

"Uh, you guys may want to go inside the bus," Rigby told the sixth graders, "this doesn't look good." With the blonde hair and the professional looking clothes, she looked a lot like Susan. If that was the case, they were really in trouble.

"Where were you?" asked the teacher, a history teacher named Mrs. Adams, "I told you both 4:15."

"We know, we're sorry," Mordecai apologized.

"Yeah, we would've left earlier but we got a 'time addition' power up," Rigby said, right before Mordecai punched him. "Oww!"

"Wait, you two were playing video games?" Mrs. Adams asked in disbelief.

"Well, the kids were bored, and we just thought it would be fun," Mordecai said, trying to reason with the woman.

"The zoo and aquarium was supposed to provide the fun, _you two _were supposed to provide the responsibility and safety," Mrs. Adams scolded, "at least tell me you made sure no one was left behind."

"Uhhh," the two said in unison.

"You didn't take attendance, or set up a buddy system!" Mrs. Adams shouted, "What if a child had been left behind or had gotten lost or kidnapped?"

"I'm sure we would've noticed," Rigby mumbled, feeling like he was in school again.

"Honestly, as parents I don't know how you two can be so irresponsible!" Mordecai scowled, and felt his hands ball up into fists. He wanted to tell this lady off, say how he and Rigby were great dads, and how everything went fine. But he didn't really want to make a scene, especially not in front of Maddie. He remembered how embarrasing it was for one of his parents to make a scene.

"We're sorry, and we won't let it happen again," Mordecai stated, glaring at the teacher. Rigby gave him a look, but decided to play along.

"Yeah, sorry," Rigby repeated, not sounding the least bit sorry.

The two walked onto the bus, and sat down. "Hey, Dad?" Mordecai and Rigby looked up.

"We kinda heard what she said," Maddie said, pointing at the still opened window.

"And we just wanted to say, thanks," Robbie continued, "for being our chaperones. You guys were probably a lot more fun than the other parents."

"Yeah, you guys were great!" Greg added. Kimi nodded in agreement, while the other kids on the bus gave their own positive comments.

Mordecai and Rigby smiled. "Thanks guys," Mordecai said.

"Yeah, thanks," added Rigby. The elder raccoon then noticed the teacher get on the bus. "Hey, why don't you guys start off a sing along or something," he said with a sly grin.

"We get you," Robbie said, mirroring the smirk. Call it a 'no one messes with our family/cool adults' revenge.

As the old bus rolled along, and the lyrics of 'Ninety Nine Bottles' echoed through the aisles, Mordecai couldn't help but smile. Despite the small bumps in the road, today had been a good day.

And while the bluejay doubted he and Rigby would ever be allowed to chaperone on a field trip again, he definitely wouldn't mind volunteering for another field trip, even if it meant dealing with Susan-like teachers.

**Hope you all liked that. Sorry if it wasn't as good, I haven't written in like three weeks, so I kinda have to get the hang of it again. But hopefully this was still at least entertaining. Please review, and I'll see you in the next chapter. :)**


	27. Chapter 27

"We have _got _to still be dreaming."

"It's not possible, but the school food actually looks..." Maddie couldn't believe she was saying this, "edible!"

"Well, don't look a gift horse in the mouth," Robbie quotes with a shrug as he grabs a slice of pizza. Maddie follows and they both sit down at there usual table with Taylor, who is eating a small salad.

"Hey Tay," Maddie greets with a smile, "So, where's Kimi and Greg?"

"I-I'm not sure," Taylor replied, "P-probably with a teacher or s-something."

"Hey! Sorry we're late!" The three turn and see the blonde girl and long tailed weasel boy run towards them, each with a brown bag lunch and a camera around their neck. "We had to do some extra work at the newspaper club," Kimi explained.

"I thought that was only after school," Robbie asked.

"Emergency meeting," Greg replied, "Someone's been trying to print rumors in the paper, and we were trying to figure out what was true and what was fake?"

"Who would lie about someone just for the heck of it," Maddie asked, scowling, "So not cool."

"Well, I could think of a few people," Robbie replied, just as they heard Mikey let out a happy holler.

"Hey guys, watch what else I can do with my sandwich!" Everyone at the table groaned and continued eating while at the same time trying to get whatever mental image they had of Mikey out of their head.

The table grew quiet. ... "So, what were the rumors you found?" Robbie asked. No one scolded him for asking, they were kids after all. They were curious about these kinds of things.

"Oh, just usual stuff," Kimi replied with a shrug.

"Teachers pregnant or stealing supplies, a sports team cheating at the championships, just normal stuff," Greg added, "There weren't really any specific targets, so it's probably just some dumb kid trying to make a joke."

"Well, that's a relief," Maddie commented. At least no one was getting hurt. Coaches could vouch for teams, and (let's face it) teachers didn't really care what the students thought of them as long as the kids were still learning and they were still getting paid.

"Yeah, I don't think we have anything to worry about," Kimi said confidently.

()()()()()()()()()()

"Okay, I think it's time we start worrying."

It was only Wednesday, and the school was a blaze with rumors. It all started on Monday. Maddie and Robbie walked into the school, and immediantly saw everyone over by the bulletin boards.

"What's going on?" Maddie asked.

"Let's go check it out," Robbie suggested. They saw bright pink papers and figured it was some sign-up thing. There were even columns for Sixth, Seventh and Eighth graders. But there weren't any blank spaces, rather it was filled with black text. Names and crimes, all in alphabetical order.

"What is this?" Maddie asked. She then saw her name at the bottom of the list of forteen sixth graders. "'Maddie Quintel: Sold herself out to do others homework to get baseball merchandise'? What! The! H!"

"And look at this!" Robbie shouted, pointing at his name, the ninth one down, "'Robbie Saylers, stole books from the library just so he wouldn't have to pay or have to follow the four books per student rule.' I never did that!"

"So, I see you guys have seen the lists too." Maddie and Robbie turned to see a very tired Greg and Kimi, as well as a teary eyed Taylor.

"What happened!" Maddie asked, trying to keep her cool, "I thought you guys stopped the rumors!"

"We thought so too," Kimi sighed.

"But we all got here this morning, and these lists were here," Greg continued, "no one in the club owned up to it, so the club is shut down until further notice. Ugh, this is so stupid! Why do we all have to pay for someone's stupid prank?"

"The newspaper club isn't the only ones who are paying for it," Robbie reminded.

"Yeah, whoever's on those lists gets their reputation ruined, for no good reason!" Maddie added, "it's just not right!"

"But what can we do?" Kimi asked, "there weren't any names on the lists, and since it's typed you can't compare handwriting."

"P-Perhaps it would be best to just, i-ignore it." The eighth grade fox recieved four looks of disbelief. "Well, w-we can't figure out who did them, and whenever you i-ignore an ad or a tv show, it goes away. Besides, w-we know this stuff isn't true, so there's n-no reason to read them."

"I guess that's all we can do," Maddie said, "at least until we get some sort of clue to who's doing this stuff." The other three reluctantly agreed. The bell rang, and the five seperated, silently wishing the others good luck for the rest of the day.

As soon as they sat down in their class, all eyes were on them. They could hear the buzz of whispers behind them, being silenced only when they turned to look or glare at the students. Even the teachers gave them strange looks, silently wondering if the rumors were true. The only teacher who didn't do this was Skips (thank goodness).

As the week continued, more rumors were posted. It was different names everyday, sometimes the list changed two or three times a day. It became a usual sight to see kids lined up in the hallways trying to get a peek at the infamous pink list. The five friends kept their vow and kept their eyes away from the lists, the only way they knew if their names' were there was if they recieved the judging looks and whispers, which seemed to be at least once a day.

"I'm not sure how much more of this I can take," Taylor said, setting her head on the lunch table.

"I know what you mean, Tay," Robbie agreed, growling a little, "everytime I hear people whispering about me I just- augh!"

"This isn't right," Maddie commented, scowling.

"It seems like the entire school is falling apart," Kimi said, "friends are fighting because they choose to believe stupid rumors."

"All because of some stupid joke," Greg added, "We have to do something."

"We have to start looking for clues," Maddie said, "make a list of suspects, maybe start interogating people." Robbie sat up, and the violet bird gave him a look. "No, we're not doing 'Good cop, Bad cop'."

"Aw come on!" Robbie replied, "when else are we going to get the chance to do it?"

"Someone's been reading mysterys and crime stories again," Maddie mumbled, "Alright fine, but don't ham it up." Robbie smiled, and gave a 'Yes!'.

"Okay, I know I shouldn't ask," Kimi started to say, "but where should we start?" Of course the five knew where to start. What grade had tons of pranksters? What grade would be sneaky enough? What grade would have:

"Hey!"

"Speaking of which," Greg mumbled as Mikey stomped over to the lunch table. He did not look happy.

"Hey!" Mikey shouted again, "I've been looking for you guys everywhere!"

"Funny, we were just about to start looking for you, Micheal," Maddie replied, glaring at him.

"We were going to ask you about these rumor lists," Robbie continued. Mikey blinked.

"You think I did this?" Mikey asked. His face turned angry again. "Are you guys stupid! Why would I make up rumors about my own friends, or myself! I mean, just look at this!" The green boy threw a crumpled piece of paper on the table. It was the eighth grade rumor list, and about the fifth one down:

"Mikey Sorenstein: Parents weigh 500 lbs and they're in running for Guiness's 'America's largest family'."

"They made fun of my family! No one makes fun of my family! _Someone's going to PAY!" _Mikey shouted, completely livid with the whole situation, "I was comin' over to ask those two-" he pointed at Kimi and Greg "-what their problem was!"

"We didn't have anything to do with those stupid lists!" Greg shouted back.

"Well then who made 'em!"

"We don't know!" Kimi shouted back.

"But we're going to find out," Maddie added, "We're going to think of plan, and we're going to fix all of this."

"Well, whatever your plan is, I want in!" Mikey added, "No one messes with the Sorenstein family!"

"Fine," Robbie said. He turned to his best friend. "So, what is the plan?"

"I was just about to try and think of one."

()()()()()()()()()

The sun started to peek out from behind the oak trees. Dressed in only black and brown, six figures ran across the dew covered lawn. No one else was around. One of the figures pulled on the door. Locked. Ironically, this was a good thing. It meant they weren't too late.

"Good thing you guys are friends with the Mythology and Superstitions teacher," Greg commented as Maddie unlocked the door.

"Yeah, but we promised him we wouldn't make a mess of anything," Maddie replied.

"So that means, nobody does anything until we have a good reason to," Robbie added.

"Yeah, like if we see that little jerkface who wrote the rumors!" Mikey shouted, punching the palm of his hand. Five voices told him to shush. "What'd I do?"

Ignoring him, the five friends walked into the school, with Mikey following. "Okay," Maddie said, "We'll need two of us to go stand guard by the copy room." The room with the copymachine was the only room with pink paper. Which meant even if the person wrote the lists on normal pieces of paper, they would copy it onto pink paper, so they would have to stop there.

"Me and Greg will go," Kimi volunteered. Maddie and Robbie nodded, and the human girl grabbed Greg's wrist and they ran towards the copyroom.

"We'll also need two people to guard the exits in case they make a run for it," Robbie continued.

"I got this," Mikey said confidently. He then turned to Taylor. "Fox, you with me?"

"Um, I g-guess so," Taylor replied.

"Okay, we'll keep in touch guys," said Maddie, "Keep your phones on vibrate, and text us if you see anything. Call if you see the Rumormill (codename for the person who started the rumors)."

"Right." The two walked away, leaving just Maddie and Robbie. They decided to sit down just a couple rooms away from the main bulletin board. If the Rumormill wanted to keep setting up rumors, he would have to eventually come there.

"Okay, school starts in an hour," Maddie said, "We've got until then to catch him."

"Um, actually we only have forty five minutes, then the teachers start coming," Robbie reminded the bird.

"Oh shoot, you're right." Maddie scowled a little. Skips said they couldn't be seen by any teachers, otherwise they would all be in trouble. "Alright, forty minutes."

The minutes ticked away, and the hallways began to fill with light, making their camouflage useless. Robbie was beginning to wish he had brought a book, while Maddie was just wishing the Rumormill would get there already.

Just then, Maddie's cellphone began to vibrate. Maddie quickly answered, now totally wide awake. "Hello?" she asked.

"I think we've got something," Greg said, "Someone just walked into the copyroom. We'll keep him busy until you get here."

"Okay." The two friends quickly ran down the hall.

Just as Greg had said, there was a boy at the copyroom. He seemed pretty tall though, Maddie and Robbie weren't even sure if they had seen him before. "Let me go!" the boy shouted as Kimi and Greg held onto his arms.

"We'll let you go," Maddie said, "after you answer a few questions." Taking his cue, the raccoon walked up to the boy.

"So, tell me, what business would you have making up a bunch of rumors?" Robbie asked, getting into his 'bad cop' persona.

"Rumors? I don't even go to this school!" the boy yelled. Now that they had gotten a good look at him, he did look like a ninth grader.

"Is this how you get your kicks? By messing with a bunch of middle schoolers and making up fake rumors?" Robbie asked, barring his teeth.

"Easy there, tiger," said 'the Good cop'. Maddie pulled Robbie back a little, and looked at the ninth grader. She was pretty tall for her age, so she didn't have to try and act tall. The boy was only three inches taller. But that didn't mean he intimidated her. "So, if you weren't writing the rumors, what are you doing here?"

"I'm making copies!"

"Of what?"

"Fliers! For my band!" Kimi let go of the boy, and opened his bag that was on the floor. Sure enough, there was a whole stack of pink papers saying "Flowers in Flames playing Saturday Night" with a picture of a rose on fire.

"But, why didn't you just go to a copy place or the library?" Maddie asked.

"Because I needed to hand these out this morning. No other place was open, and my dad's a teacher here so he gave me a key and said I could use the copier!"

"...Oh." The four kids suddenly felt a little silly. Greg let go of the boy's arm, and he stomped away, mumbling under his breath. "Well, that was a little embarrassing," Maddie commented. She chuckled. "I still can't believe you did that, dude."

"Oh admit it, you thought it was kinda cool," Robbie retorted.

"Dude, even I didn't think that was cool," Greg commented.

"Oh shut it, weasel," Robbie snapped back while Maddie and Kimi giggled. Just then, Maddie's phone began to vibrate again. Quickly, she pulled it out of her pocket and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Maddie? I-I think he's here! We just saw him b-by the math hallway b-bulletin board. Oh, and you may want to hurry, Mikey alr-ready ran after him."

"Crap," Maddie mumbled, "Okay, thanks Tay." She hung up, and turned to the others. "Come on, we need to move. Now!"

The four friends ran down the halls, making their way towards the math hallway. As they got closer, they heard shouting. Turning the corner, they saw Mikey holding someone up against the wall while Taylor pulled on Mikey's arms, trying to make him let go.

"Mikey! Dude, let him go!" Robbie shouted. He and Greg quickly ran over and pulled Mikey away from the boy. Maddie and Kimi got a good look at the 'Rumormill'. He looked young, almost like a sixth or fifth grader. He had bleach blonde hair and pale blue eyes. He was wearing a grey jacket, and he looked pretty skinny. All around him scattered on the floor were pink papers with the names of people. He was the Rumormill!

"You're not really what we were expecting," Maddie commented.

"I-I-I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" The boy said tearfully, "Please don't hurt me!"

"That depends!" Mikey shouted.

"Shut up!" everyone else yelled at him. The pudgy green boy glared at them, but stayed silent.

"Why would you want to start rumors?" Taylor asked the blonde boy, speaking in a quiet tone so she wouldn't frighten him.

"Yeah, and who are you anyway?" Greg asked, "I don't think I've even seen you around here." The boy didn't look to surprised.

"My name is Todd. I look young because I am. I should be in the fifth grade but I was skipped ahead."

"Oh yeah! I remember now, I saw you a couple times in the paper!" Greg said.

"Yeah, I even think I wrote an article about you for the school paper! You won the science fair three years in a row." Kimi added. She then looked down at the floor. "Uh, sorry about getting your age wrong." Todd didn't seem offended.

"So, why did you start the rumors?" Robbie asked.

"It was... a science experiment." The six blinked. All that trouble, for a science fair ribbon. "I hadn't tried an experiment on human behavior and reactions before," Todd explained, "and rumors were the first thing to come to mind since they're everywhere. I found the rumors online on chat sites, and then copy and pasted names from the school yearbook. Half the kids I 'wrote' about I didn't even know who they were."

"So, you don't think me and my parents are fat?" Mikey asked.

"Nononononono! O-of course not!" Todd said quickly. Mikey looked a little less angry now, so that calmed the boy just a little.

"Just so you know, I was planning on saying all the rumors were fake, at the end of the week." Todd looked down at his nobby knees. "I-I figured once people knew that they weren't true, everything would be okay. Besides, rumors happen all the time, so it's not like I was starting something."

"You still hurt a lot of people," Robbie said, scowling but trying to keep his cool. Something told him that Todd wasn't the type who could handle 'Bad Cop'.

"I just thought, people would get over it," Todd answered softly, "everyone here seems like the type who wouldn't let rumors bother them, so I thought they would be strong enough to handle my, experiment."

Maddie looked at the blonde boy. He looked pretty sorry, but there was something else. He looked hurt. He was young, but he looked as if he had been through a lot. He was three years younger than the rest of them after all. Smart, young and small. It all made sense now. Maddie had a feeling that while Todd was definitely dedicated to science and learning, it wasn't just about an experiment.

"I get it now," the violet bird said, "You wanted to give the people who've made rumors and jokes about you a taste of their own medicine, while at the same time trying to learn how to handle rumors yourself." The boy stayed silent, but nodded just a little.

"That wasn't cool but, at least you had a good excuse," Robbie said. Todd looked up at them all.

"Look, this doesn't mean you're gonna get off scott free," Maddie said, "what you did wasn't right. But, we promise not to tell anyone it was you who started all the rumors, just as long as you set things right."

"So, yo-you're not going to beat me up?" Todd asked.

"Well..." Five angry eyes glared at Mikey. "Okay okay, fine. We won't beat you up kid. Gosh!"

()()()()()()()()()

The cafeteria was once again peaceful (though that didn't exactly mean it was safe. Today was Mystery Meat for lunch). Todd had gotten two weeks detention for his experiment, but everyone (including Mikey) kept their promise not to tell the students who started the rumors. Signs were posted in the hallways, saying that all of the rumors weren't true, and things began to rebuild themselves.

"Looks like things are getting back to normal," Robbie commented as he and Maddie took their trays.

"Yep," Maddie smiled. As the two best friends walked to their table, they heard bits of conversation from other tables.

"... Did you hear what she did last night?"

"Oh my god! No way! How's he going to explain that to his parents?"

"At least, that's how I heard it."

"You know, he's right," Maddie commented, "rumors are everywhere, and it doesn't take a science wiz to start them."

"Just another awesome thing about middle school," Robbie replied sarcastically.

"But if there so bad, why do people keep spreading them?" Maddie asked. The raccoon shrugged his shoulders.

"Maybe that's what Todd was trying to figure out. But I guess, after hearing so many, you start to get used to them, you know?"

"Yeah, I think." Maddie thought about it. Rumors spread no matter what, she knew that. They can ruin peoples reputations and really hurt them. But when you know they're not true, what else can a rumor do?

"I think it's because no matter what the rumor, people know they're not true, so they won't think they're a big deal," Maddie said, "that is, until a rumor is spread about them."

"Then it becomes the worst thing ever," Robbie finished, "But at least when a rumor is spread about you, you have a few people who know it's not true."

Maddie smiled. "Yeah, so I guess I don't have to worry about anything." She gave the raccoon a friendly shove, and he smiled up at her. "Besides, don't most middle schoolers have the attention span of like a few days?"

"That depends, are we talking about a normal middle schooler or Mikey?" Both friends laughed, and continued their way to their normal lunch table.

Rumors were just another part of their lives. And like giant monsters and magical creatures, they would learn to live with them and protect themselves from them.

**I hope the ending of this chapter was okay. I really didn't want it to be like a rumor monster or creature or something. I love Regular Show craziness as much as the next girl, but I wanted something a little more realistic (though I have to admit what I came up with was kinda weak). I also wanted to show the realisticness of rumors, which is something everyone has to deal with (including me, and I've had a couple bad ones). So, I hope this was okay. And if you didn't care for it, I hope you at least got a laugh from Bad Cop Robbie. Since he's basically a little kid version of Rigby, he's almost a little too cute to be bad cop XD **

**I'll see you in the next chapter! Please review!**


	28. Chapter 28

**Okay, last update for the day! Phew!** **And I already have a third of the next chapter done, so hopefully no more long waits for updates. Hope you enjoy and as always, please review!**

It was that time of year again. The posters were up, announcements about it were made everyday, and the tri fold display boards were on sale. It was time for the Science Fair.

"It's too bad you guys aren't in the newspaper club," Greg said as the five friends walked down the hall.

"Yeah, you could've volunteered to report on it and then you wouldn't have to do it," Kimi added.

"Oh, I don't know," said Taylor, "The science fair is-isn't too bad."

"It's not really that it's bad," Maddie said, "it just a science fair project combined with all your other homework makes it seem like a lot of extra work." She looked down at her best friend. "Are you going to be in the science fair, Robbie?"

"My science teacher says it's mandatory," Robbie answered. All of them had different science teachers. "I already picked my partner for my project. She and I are going to do an experiment on making rock candy."

"Cool," Maddie replied. As they continued walking, she noticed the stares she was getting from her friends. She raised an eyebrow.

"Oh crud!" Robbie shouted, "I forgot my lunchbag in Spanish class! Be right back!" With that, the raccoon ran down the hall.

Now that he was gone... "Okay, what was with the weird looks?" Maddie asked.

"O-oh, it's nothing," Taylor replied, looking down at the floor.

"It's just that," Kimi continued, "We figured you would have more of a reaction to Robbie working on a project with another girl."

"Why would I?"

"Well, you guys are pretty much a couple," Greg said bluntly.

Maddie laughed in their faces. "Seriously?"

"Well, you guys do hang out all the time," Kimi commented.

"We're best friends, and he's practically my brother," Maddie answered, "that's why we hang out all the time. Trust me, we would never be a couple."

"Whatever you say," Greg said. Maddie felt a twinge of irratation. What was that supposed to mean? But, deciding it wouldn't be worth arguing about, the violet bird simply shrugged it off and continued towards her class.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Maddie was happily riding her bike down the street. In the basket was the newest game, "Party Town 3". It was supposed to have over three hundred mini games and a ton of hidden surprises. There were plenty of sports themed games, which pleased Maddie, and there was also many quiz games, which Robbie would enjoy.

"This is going to be awesome!"

The rubber tires screeched to a hault, and Maddie jumped off the bike. Knowing the Saylers hardly ever locked their door, Maddie walked right in. "Hey dude!" she called, "I've got the game like I promised."

She walked into the living room and saw Robbie look up at her, as well as someone she had never seen before. A girl crow. The shiny black feathers on the top of her head stood up just like Maddie's, but the feathers on the back of her head were short. She was wearing a purple tank top and white khakis, the perfect outfit to show off her well developed figure.

"Oh, hello there," she said happily with a happy smile. Someone was perky.

"Hey Maddie," Robbie smiled, "What are you-" He then noticed the game in her hand. "The game! You got it? Awesome!" He then looked at all the scattered papers and plans on the coffee table. The raccoon quickly tried to make them into a neat pile. "Uh, hey Michelle, we can finish this tomorrow right?"

"Of course Robbie," Michelle replied, "It's getting late anyway. But I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure." Before they said goodbye, Michelle leaned over and gave Robbie a hug. Maddie's hand twitched, but she hardly felt it.

"Bye Robbie!" Michelle said after she broke the hug. As she walked towards the front door, she smiled at Maddie. "He's really smart and funny. I can see why you guys are such good friends." Maddie forced a small smile, and Michelle gave a wave goodbye. With that, the crow was gone. Even after she left, Maddie stared at the door.

"Okay, so Maddie, are you ready to get your butt kicked at this game? ... Maddie? Hey!"

"Huh?" Maddie asked, looking back at Robbie, "Oh, yeah, let's play." Quickly, she put in the game and pressed the POWER button.

As soon as the game started, things quickly went back to normal. The two best friends laughed, challenged each other, playfully teased each other and just enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. They were both happy, everything was as it should be.

But as soon as the game was shut off for the day and the two said goodbye, Maddie couldn't help but think about what had happened earlier when she saw Michelle.

"What was all that about," she asked herself as she peddled. Why had she felt so annoyed by the crow? Was it her perky attitude, or something else.

Even at the dinner table, Maddie was still thinking about it. "You okay, Maddie?" Mordecai asked. Maddie looked up from her mashed potatoes.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine Dad," Maddie insisted.

"Are you sure, sweetie?" Margaret asked.

"Yes mom, I'm fine," Maddie replied with just the hint of an attitude.

"You seem upset about something," Mordecai mumbled.

"I'm not upset!" Both of her parents looked at her, and she instantly shrunk in her seat. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Maybe we should talk about this later," Margaret suggested.

"Yeah, maybe." Honestly, Maddie didn't want to talk about it. She'd rather just not think about it all together, then maybe it would just go away and become a bad memory. It couldn't be too hard, right?

()()()()()()()()()()

Apparently, it wasn't as easy as Maddie thought.

Things were fine whenever it was just the two of them or the five of them, things were fine. Things were normal. Things weren't confusing or frusterating.

But whenever that certain crow was brought up, Maddie's mood suddenly faultered. As the days went on, Robbie became more and more busy with the science fair, and therefore spending more time with Michelle. There were even days when she only saw him in classes, not getting a chance to even talk to him. It made her even more annoyed, and a little sad.

In her head, she knew that probably nothing was happy, there was no reason to be angry or annoyed with the two of them. And yet, just hearing her name made Maddie go from a happy girl into a Benson. It had gotten to the point where just mentioning the science fair made Maddie give Robbie the silent treatment. As soon as the raccoon realized she didn't want to talk and stopped, Maddie felt guilty and apologized. And yet, it kept happening.

'Why do I keep acting like this?' She asked herself this frequently. Everyonce in a while, a thought crossed her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. 'There's no way I can be jealous. What do I even have to be jealous about?'

It was the day before the science fair, and the two friends were walking towards Maddie's house. "So, the science fair's at the mall tomorrow," Robbie stated, "so there's plenty of things we can do in between the judgings."

"Uh huh."

"You're still coming, right?"

"...Maybe."

Robbie looked up at her. "What do you mean 'maybe'? I thought we were planning on walking around the mall and making fun of the latest trend stuff in the stores."

"I just figured you would be busy with Michelle," Maddie commented, her voice sounding bitter almost. She knew this wasn't true and it was stupid to say, and yet she didn't try to take it back.

"Um, no," Robbie replied, raising an eyebrow, "What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem!" Maddie snapped.

"Uh, yeah, you do since you're yelling at me and being a total jerk," Robbie snapped back, glaring at the bird.

"You know what?" Maddie said, towering over the raccoon, "have fun at the science fair, because I'm not going to be there."

"Fine! Have fun being all moody and junk!" With that, Robbie started walking in the opposite direction. Maddie just stood there scowling. As she began to walk away, each step made her a little more calm, as well as a little more guilty. Finally, she stopped and sighed.

"Shoot," she said, regreting everything she said, "What is wrong with me?"

She kicked a small rock laying on the sidewalk. "He's right, I was being a jerk," she mumbled, "and for no good reason. Just because he's hanging out with some girl." Who was pretty, and hung out with him often (or at least more than Maddie had these past two weeks), and hugged him. She felt annoyed again, but quickly shook it off. "Maybe I am jealous."

But that didn't mean she could act like this, just because her best friend was hanging out with someone else.

Feeling determined, Maddie began to walk home. Knowing how stubborn Robbie could be, it would be best to let him cool down for the rest of the day. But tomorrow, Maddie planned to go to the mall and apologize. She would apologize, cheer Robbie on, and maybe the three of them could even go out for ice cream or something after the science fair. Even Michelle.

Tomorrow, Maddie was going to set things right.

()()()()()()()()()()

The mall was filled with students and tables, each with a tri fold display board and some sort of experiment. There were experiments with mice, experiments with chemicals, physical experiments, mental experiments and (of course) solar system models and paper mache volcanoes. The young avian even saw Todd there, with a different experiment of course.

Maddie looked through the crowd of students ranging from fifth grader to high school. In no time at all, she spotted that familiar tint of gold fur. Robbie was standing at a table with Michelle. On the table was a notebook, a couple pickle jars filled with small pieces of candy, and a poster.

Taking a deep breath, the violet bird slowly walked over to the table. "Oh! Hi Maddie!" Michelle said cheerfully. Robbie looked up, but looked away.

"Hey guys," Maddie replied.

"Hey," Robbie mumbled. She couldn't really tell what mood he was in.

"Cool project," Maddie commented.

"Thanks," the raccoon mumbled.

"We figured out a way to make rock candy in just a few hours using the chemicals there, right Robbie?" said Michelle.

"Yeah." While she couldn't exactly tell what he was feeling, Maddie knew he didn't want to listen right now.

"Well, I'm going to go find a seat. I'll be rooting for you guys, good luck."

Robbie looked up for just a moment. "Thanks Maddie." With that, not feeling much better than before, Maddie walked away and sat on a bench.

Half an hour passed. Most of the judges were taking a small break. Maddie was playing a game on her phone, trying to keep herself busy until she could sit down and talk with Robbie.

"Wow, talk about stupid!" Scowling, Maddie looked up. She saw a familiar group of eighth graders over by the experiments. Mikey wasn't with them, but the cat boy, the girl in black, and the boy in the baseball cap was. After laughing at someone's experiment (who thankfully wasn't there to endure it), they all started walking over to... Robbie's product. Maddie stood up.

As she walked over to the table, she saw the girl in black pull out a lighter. "I wonder if candy can boil?" she wondered.

"Hey!" The eighth graders looked, and then smirked.

"Oh look, a little birdie," the cat said, making the other two laugh.

"What are you doing over here?" Maddie demanded, glaring at the three upperclassmmen.

"Just havin' a little fun," the boy answered, "It's not like any of these are important. Besides, are there any rules that say we can't help out a friend a little?" He pointed, and Maddie saw where Mikey had set up an experiment. Of course it was a sloppily made volcano that the green boy was currently filling to the brim with vinegar.

"Actually, yeah," Maddie said, "There's probably several. So put down the jar, and get out of here!"

"Make me sixth grader," the boy smirked. With that, he stuck the lighter under the jar, and began to boil the water. Maddie tried to grab it, but the boy kept pulling it out of reach. It didn't really help that he had two friends to help hold her back.

"Hey! Get away from that!" Maddie recognized that voice. She looked up and saw Robbie and Michelle running towards them. Figuring their fun was over, the boy put the jar back on the table, and the three ran away.

"What were they doing over here?" Michelle asked.

"Being jerks, like always," Maddie replied, scowling a little, "I was just trying to stop them from ruining your experiment." As the three looked at each other, no one except for Robbie noticed the small pickle jar start to shake.

"Well, at least they didn't break anything," Michelle said in a cheerful voice that still irrated Maddie a little, but she didn't dare show it.

"Uh, maybe it would've been better if they did break something," Robbie stated. The girls gave him a confused look, but then they heard the sound of breaking glass. Crystals were spontaneously forming in the jar, growing on top of one another. The pile of crystals grew taller and taller, and grew what looked like limbs. The rock creature lifted it's arm, and started to throw it down.

"Look out!" Maddie shouted. Maddie and Robbie leaped in one direction, while Michelle ran another direction. The rock smashed down on the floor and left a huge dent in the white floor while at the same time getting everyone's attention. The students and judges wasted no time running out the mall exits.

The rock monster continue it's attacks, so the two best friends quickly hid behind a table.

"How the heck does a rock candy chemical equal a monster!" Maddie asked in disbelief.

"There's always a small possibility!" They crouched down as the ground shook with the recoil of another attack. "Why are you even here? I thought you said you weren't coming."

"I was just being stupid," Maddie replied, feeling frusterated, "and just because I was a little-... just because I was being a jerk doesn't mean I wouldn't try to apologize, or at least help you defeat a giant freakin' rock monster!"

"Wait, what were you going to say?" Robbie asked, looking curious. Maddie sighed. She felt tempted to say 'nothing', but she knew that would get them nowhere.

"I was going to say, just because I was a little jealous," Maddie said, feeling like she was surrendering, "I guess I was a little jealous of all the time you were spending with Michelle and I was missing you."

"Wait, you were jealous?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah yeah, make fun of me all you want," Maddie mumbled, looking at her knees.

"I don't know why you were jealous of Michelle, we're not even friends." Maddie looked up. "The only thing we did was work on our project. Well, mostly. She would try making snacks or wrap the rock candy we made. She was so happy all the time, I think she was a bird version of our kindergarden teacher's weird sister." Maddie giggled a little. "Trust me, we probably won't even talk to each other ever again."

"Well, I still feel bad about it," Maddie replied, blushing slightly.

"Well, if it helps, I missed you too." "Really?" "Yeah, we only got to play two hours of Party Town 3. I figured we would at least be halfway finished with the game by now." Maddie laughed, and then smiled at the raccoon, who happily smiled back.

Just then, the ground shook again, making the kids remember the situation they were in. "Maybe we should talk about this later," Robbie said, "and defeat this rock monster before we die."

"Well, we've got plenty of ammo here," Maddie said, gesturing to the many science projects. The two shared a knowing smile.

"Hm hm-hm hm, hm-hm hm hm!" With that, the two leaped up and grabbed their weapons. Maddie picked up a potato launcher, while Robbie picked up some acid chemicals.

The monster noticed them quickly, and flung huge pieces of crystal at them, but the two dodged them with little effort and launched their weapons. The potatoes had enough strength and momentum to break off some crystal (it was only candy after all) while the acid desolved it.

They got in a few good hits, and yet the monster didn't back off or get weaker. That's when Robbie realized something. "It's crystals grow spontaneously!" the raccoon shouted, "which means no matter how many times we hit it, it'll just keep growing!"

"Well, how do we stop it from growing!" Maddie asked as she fired another potato. Robbie had think for a minute, remembering all those research books he had read. "I think I've got it, but I need a distraction."

"I've got you covered," Maddie said, "but I'll need some help." She looked around, but saw no adults or students to help her fight, that is, except for a crow hiding underneith the table.

"Hey!" Maddie shouted as she ran over to Michelle, "Here, shoot this at the robot." She handed her the potato launcher.

"What? But, but I can't!" Michelle replied, looking scared.

"Yes you can," Maddie told her, "Just point and shoot. I'll help you if you get in to trouble."

"Okay." Michelle stood up, and shot a potato at the monster. Maddie looked at Robbie and gave him a nod. The raccoon gave a nod back, and then ran off.

Since she didn't have an actual weapon anymore, the violet bird just grabbed whatever she could find and chucked it at the monster, using every attempt to slow it down.

"Guys!" The girls looked up, and saw Robbie running back to them. He was running on two legs instead of four since he was carrying several objects.

"So, what's the plan?" Maddie asked. Robbie handed them two lighters and two cans of hairspray from the barber shop in the mall. Robbie gave her a smile.

"Melt it!" he replied, his tail twitching excitedly and grinning like a mad scientist. Standing on each side of the monster, the three aimed and then sprayed. The hairspray quickly caught fire, and flew towards the monster.

A little fire had made it grow, but the monster was still rock candy. Candy made with sugar and water. So with a lot of fire, it could easily be melted.

Water and sugar started dripping off the monster. "It's working!" Robbie shouted happily. But that didn't mean the monster was giving up. It lifted it's half melted arm, and aimed.

"Hey, look out!" Maddie shouted. She grabbed Michelle's collar and pulled her out of the way just before she got hit with the monster's arm.

"Thank you," Michelle said quickly before taking aim again. The three continued spraying, and the monster continued melting. It tried attacking again and again, but each time became more and more futile, until it couldn't attack at all. It was just a puddle of melted sugar water.

Maddie and Robbie both gave a sign of relief. "We did it!" Michelle shouted in her normal perky tone as she hugged them both.

The students slowly started coming back inside the mall, looking around at all the damage. "Ms. Quintel, Mr. Saylers, Ms. Carver!" the principal, who was also one of the judges, said when he walked over to the three, "Care to explain what happened?"

"Uhhh..." They looked at all the damage. Broken tables, dents in the floor, nearly everr experiement ruined. One experienment some how lit itself on fire. To Maddie and Robbie, it was one of the coolest things they had ever seen, but they knew better than to say that. Instead, they just offered the principal an innocent smile. He gave them a look, as if to say "Not falling for it".

"Sigh."

Fortunately, since it wasn't their fault and they did help defeat the monster, the kids didn't get detention, but they did have to help clean the mall Sunday morning. Once they were dismissed by the principal, the three headed home. Michelle said goodbye, and Maddie gave her a small smile, and this time it wasn't forced.

The two best friends started to walk home together. "Sorry about being jealous and all," Maddie said.

"It's fine," Robbie replied, "I think everyone's allowed to be jealous sometimes. I was jealous at you when you got that new computer game and I couldn't buy it since Mom said it was too violent." He thought for a moment. "Which reminds me, you still haven't let me borrow it!"

The purple bird chuckled. "Well, I'll let you borrow it this week to make it up to you," she said. Robbie smiled.

Things were back to normal, they were friends again. But even so, Maddie couldn't help but wonder in the back of her mind, what had made her so jealous in the first place? She had never been jealous before when Robbie hung out with other people, so what made this time different?

'Maybe it's just another one of those middle school things,' Maddie thought, quickly shrugging it off. "Come on, Dude," she smiled, "Let's go play Party Town."

"Yes!" Robbie fist pumped, "I've been wanting to play that for weeks! You're so going down, featherhead!"

"That's what you think, furball!" Without even having to challenge each other, the two raced home. Things truly were back to normal.

Well, at least as normal as you could get in this city.

**This was a fun chapter to write, even rewriting it at 4 in the morning. Yeah, for some reason my computer didn't save the first half of the chapter, so I had to rewrite the beginning. CURSE YOU COMPUTER! ... Wait, this isn't a Phineas and Ferb fanfic, why am I quoting Doof? Lol (I'm really random in the morning).**

**Anyway, hope you all enjoyed this. I liked writing a different side of Maddie since she's usually pretty accepting with most people, plus it's something everyone has to deal with. Whether this will develope into a crush like Robbie's feelings, we'll just have to wait and see ;) **

**I also liked writing the monster battle, they're always fun. So, that's my final update for today. Like I said, I'm a third of the way done with the next chapter, so expect it sometime next week! Please review, and thanks for reading! :D**


	29. Chapter 29

"Man, I love weekends in spring," Maddie commented one day.

"Why?" Robbie asked.

"Because, it's pretty much a taste of summer vacation," the violet bird replied, "I mean, sixty degree weather, nice breezes. It's like a mini summer day."

Robbie smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He then frowned. "I just wish the weekends were longer."

"Yeah well, at least we only have a week and a half until Spring Break," Maddie retorted, "and then two months until summer vacation."

"I wonder what Pops has planned this year," Robbie asked. For the last few years, Pops had invited everyone in their little park family on vacation for one week. Last year they couldn't go because Pops was sick that week, but the year before that they had gone to Hollywood, California.

Long story short, 9 year old Maddie and Robbie got a small cameo in a movie, Benson got totally hammered, Mordecai, Rigby, Muscleman and HFG are no longer allowed in Disney's California Adventure, and everyone else had went shopping in Beverly Hills. ...It was the best vacation ever. But the two couldn't help but wonder how this year's vacation was going to top it.

"Well, until we find out, let's make the most of our weekend," Maddie replied, "So, what do you want to do?"

Robbie thought for a moment. "Wanna go to the park?"

"Sure, I'll get my bat and baseball and we can play ball for a while," Maddie replied.

"Yeah, and I'll get my waterguns so we can cool off afterwards."

After getting their toys, Maddie got on her bike and Robbie stood on all fours beside her and together they went to the park (of course racing each other on the way).

Luckily, most of the park was empty. Even though it was a perfect day, most kids and adults still had work and chores to do on the weekends. But come Spring Break, the park would be packed. Which is why both kids thought it would be a good idea to play at the park while they had the chance.

"Alright dude, here it comes!" Maddie shouted. She threw the white leather ball up in the air, and swung. She heard the familiar crack of the bat, and smiled in victory. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she watched the ball fly over the huge field of grass and start to slowly fall. About sixty feet in front of her, she saw Robbie jump up and catch the ball. "Nice catch, dude!"

The raccoon quickly ran over and handed Maddie the ball. "I think you're ready for baseball season, dude," Robbie said with a smile.

"I don't know why you won't join the team," Maddie asked, "you're one of, if not _the, _fastest guys I know. With you catching and running on our team, we'd be unstoppable."

"I'm already on track," Robbie replied, "anymore sports teams and the only time I could ever read would be at school, and those aren't even the good books." Maddie smiled and rolled her eyes a little.

"Here," she said, handing Robbie the bat, "just hit the ball." She walked for about twenty feet, and then turned around. "Ready?"

"Ready!" Robbie said before getting his competitive face on. The bird smirked, drew her arm back, and threw the ball. SMACK! The ball flew over their heads. It looked like a straight shot, but unfortunately there was a sudden breeze, making it plummet into the forest of old oak trees. "Aww," Robbie groaned.

"Come on, let's go get it," Maddie said. The two ran into the forest, and began looking. Robbie looked low, and Maddie looked high, in case the ball got stuck in a tree (as unlikely as that would be, it would be more likely than some of the stuff that did happen to them.)

"I'm going to look over here," Robbie said, before going behind some bushes. Maddie walked forward a little and moved a branch, which had carefully hidden what was now in plain sight. She gasped.

"Hey, Robbie! Come over here!" The young raccoon quickly ran back.

"What?" he asked. Maddie pointed up at the tree. "Whoa. Cool!"

Sitting in the middle of a tree, where it's base split off into three separate branches, was a tree house. It wasn't just a normal treehouse though. It looked really well made, almost to the point where it looked more like an above ground cabin than just a treehouse. There was even a door and open windows.

"Come on, let's go check it out!" Maddie suggested. Robbie happily agreed. They climbed the small ladder hanging from the treehouse, and open the door. It creaked a little, but the inside looked well taken care of. There was a small desk, with an open bottle of ink and a quill. There was a small box, probably used for toys, and even a small bed, only big enough for a child (or Robbie).

"This is pretty cool," Robbie commented, "With just a little paint, some beanbag chairs, some awesome posters and a video game console, this could be a sweet hangout.

"Alright, let's do it," Maddie smiled. While she loved being in the park and the park house with her extended family, she did like the idea of her and Robbie having their own little space at the park. Everyone had their own space, even their dads had their own room. It would also be nice to have a place in the park where they wouldn't have to worry about Benson's rules so much.

"Okay," Robbie said, as he looked at the walls, "So, what do you think would be better, blue or green?"

"NEITHER!" "Huh?" Suddenly, squirrels started running towards them. They had came so fast, Maddie and Robbie were caught completely off guard. They came from holes in the walls, the floor boards, the toy chest, in and under the bed, and the ceiling. They were everywhere! Their tiny hands latched onto the kids, and pulled them to the floor. The squirrels then dragged the two to the back of the treehouse, where a squirrel stood on a small platform on the wall.

He was a grey squirrel, and was wearing an acorn on his head. "All hail, King Greyshire!" a squirrel called out. The squirrels all bowed while still keeping a tight grip on the two kids.

"At ease," the king said. He looked at Maddie and Robbie with hard, cold eyes. "So? You two children dare trespass in my castle?"

"We weren't trespassing!" Maddie shouted, trying to pull away from the squirrels.

"Yeah, we didn't even know anyone was living here!" Robbie added. He narrowed his eyes at the squirrels. "Besides, when you think about it, you jerks are trespassing here too!"

"How dare you!" the king boomed, his voice being surprisingly loud and deep for a squirrel. The others chattered angrily.

"You guys found this place, right? You didn't build it yourselves?" Robbie asked, "Well then, looking at how old this place is, I think I know who this treehouse belongs to. He's a friend and a member of our family, so technically, we have more of a right to be here than you guys!"

"Well, if what you're saying is true, which I doubt it is..." The kids glared at the 'king', "...then I have a famous quote for you, I'm sure you children have heard it. 'Finders keepers!'."

"That's so lame," Maddie commented, "No one even says that anymore."

"SILENCE!" The king clapped his tiny, furry hands. "Guards, take them away!" The squirrels gave a quick bow, and dragged Maddie and Robbie towards the door. With a swift push, they threw Maddie out of the treehouse. Luckily, it was only three feet from the ground so she couldn't get seriously hurt, but that didn't mean she wouldn't get hurt.

"Oww," she said as she rubbed her back. Just then, she felt a small bundle land on her stomach. "Oof!" She looked, and saw that it was Robbie.

"Oh, thanks for catching me," Robbie said quickly.

"No problem," Maddie replied dryly. The raccoon quickly climbed off his friend, and Maddie stood up. They both glared at the treehouse before walking away. "Come on, let's go see Skips."

()()()()()()()()()()()

The yeti rolled up the hose and placed it back where it belonged. He looked up at the sky. Judging by the sun, it was time for a break. So, Skips skipped to the house, and into the kitchen, where he saw Maddie, Robbie and a bunch of books scattered on the table.

"Hey Skips," the kids greeted without even looking up. Skips looked over their shoulders, and saw that the books were either about squirrels or war techniques and strategies.

"So, homework or just a hobby?" Skips asked as he got a glass of lemonade.

"Uh, just a little project," Maddie replied, "But, Skips? Have you ever seen a treehouse in the forest?"

"Yeah, it did you know it was taken over by squirrels?" Robbie added, before turning back to his book.

"Yeah, I've seen that treehouse," Skips replied, "I built it."

"Oh my, are you talking about my treehouse?" Just then, Pops had walked in, smiling at the three, "When I was a boy, my mother said I could have my own treehouse. Unfortunately, Father was busy with work, so Skips built it for me." The yeti gave the lolliman a small smile.

"Well now your treehouse is filled with squirrels, and one of them thinks he's a king," Maddie said.

"But don't worry, we'll get them out," Robbie added. Pops gave them a confused look.

"Why would you do that?" he asked.

"Because," the kids answered.

"Because why?" Skips asked, and the tone of his voice let them know he didn't want to hear "Just because".

"They don't have the right to be there," Maddie answered.

"Yeah, and they were little jerks about it when we went there," Robbie added, scowling a little.

"Don't worry, we won't hurt them or anything," Maddie said quickly when she noticed the amount of worry on Pops' face, "Just think of it as 'relocating'."

"They'll find another tree," Robbie said, looking at his book, "According to this, any of the trees in the park would make a good home. They'll be fine."

"You know what I think," Skips said, sitting down, "I think you two want that treehouse, but not just because it's a treehouse. It's because those squirrels are in it."

Maddie and Robbie gaped at him. How could he even suggest something like that? Only bratty kids wanted something just because someone else had it. As if Skips could read their minds, he began to elaborate. "It's perfectly normal for kids every once in a while to want something just because someone else has it, especially if the other person is a jerk about it. How do ya think the toy companies make so much money?"

The yeti did kinda have a point. "Well, we'll be fine Skips," Maddie replied.

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Robbie repeated.

"Just be careful," Skips said with a sigh. Just like their dads. As soon as the two adults left the room, Maddie and Robbie continued talking about their plan.

"Okay, I think I have something that will work," Robbie said with a smile. Twenty minutes later, the two were walking to the treehouse armed with water guns.

"Squirrels are very skittish," Robbie said as they walked, "Just hitting the area around them would freak them out enough to make them run away." Of course they weren't going to squirt the actual squirrels, they would drown. They wanted to get them out of the treehouse, not kill them.

"So, we just hit the treehouse a couple times, they'll run off scared, and we have a sweet new hangout!" Maddie said with a smile. Robbie replied with a "Hm hm." When the two finally arrived at the old tree, they stopped, and aimed their guns.

"Fire!" Robbie shouted. They pumped their water guns, and hit the treehouse. The water made a big enough noise when it hit, it was sure to scare the squirrels. After about two minutes, they stopped firing.

"Did it work?" Maddie asked.

"Let's go see," said Robbie. They took a step.

"RELEASE THE BUCKET!" "Huh!" They looked up, and saw two squirrels in a close-by tree, holding an old metal bucket tied to a rope. The squirrels pushed the bucket off the branch, and it swung across to where Maddie and Robbie were standing. When the rope yanked it back, the bucket tipped over and spilled freezing cold water on the two kids.

Letting out a surprised yelp, the kids took a step back, and tripped over a hidden wire and fell, rolling down the hill... and right into the thorn bushes.

"OW! Benson!"

"Well, you said you didn't want to cut your hair, this is the only other option."

Maddie and Robbie were now back at the house, towels around their necks and Skips and Benson pulling thorns after their hair and fur.

"So, what's your plan B?" Maddie asked.

"I'm thinking! I'm thinking!" Robbie replied, scowling. But maybe that was because of the thorns. "Ow! Skips!"

"Sorry kid."

()()()()()()()()()

Now dressed in ponchos, Maddie and Robbie were armed with leaf blowers from the park shed.

"Squirrels hate loud noises," Robbie said, "We just start these up, and they'll start running."

"And with our ponchos, they can hit us with all the water they have and we'll still be here," Maddie added with a smile. After that last attack, they were more determined than ever to get that treehouse. It was a matter of pride now.

Maddie stood at the base of the tree while Robbie climbed a couple steps up the ladder, and put his leaf blower close to a window. "Okay, 3, 2, 1!" Both kids pressed their buttons, and created a strong and loud wind.

"Hm hm, I'd like to see what those squirrels would do now," Maddie said.

"RELEASE THE PINECONES!"

"Wait, what?"

In a matter of seconds, squirrels came to the windows and started pelting the kids with pinecones. The two friends quickly retreated, dropping their weapons just so they could cover their heads.

Bruised and covered in sap, they hid behind an old oak tree. "Man, those squirrels have strong arms," Maddie commented as she rubbed her arm.

"Wait, how could they stand in front of the leaf blowers and not be freaked out?" Robbie asked. They peaked out behind the tree, and saw that all the squirrels in the window (who were still armed with pinecones) were wearing armor made of tree bark, making them look like mini knights.

"Aw, come on!" Maddie shouted.

"Something tells me these aren't normal squirrels," Robbie stated.

"Oh you think?" Maddie sighed. "Come on, we need to think of a new plan." As they walked away, they could hear the squirrels laughing and cheering, adding insult to injury.

Even after looking over all the books again when they got back to the house, they still couldn't think of another plan. The squirrels obviously couldn't be scared away, so what else could they do?

"What are we supposed to do to get them out without hurting them?" Maddie asked, feeling frustrated.

"At this point, I almost wouldn't mind hurting them a little," Robbie said with a scowl.

"Same here, but you know we can't," Maddie replied, "It wouldn't be right, and it would make us bigger jerks than the squirrels."

"I know I know." Both kids sighed.

"So, how are your war games going?" Pops asked cheerfully as he came into the kitchen with a small plate and an empty tea cup.

"Meh," the kids said in unison.

"Oh." Pops placed the dishes in the sink. He then turned around and offered the kids a smile. "You know, perhaps you should give them honey."

"...What?"

"You know what they say," Pops smiled, "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!"

"But we're fighting squirrels," Maddie corrected.

"And we're not trying to catch them, we just want them out of the treehouse," Robbie added.

"Well, squirrels and flies are similar," Pops replied. With that, the lolliman gave them a 'Good luck' and left.

"That was weird," Robbie commented, "what do you think he meant?"

"Who knows?" Maddie sat her head down, but then sat up. "Wait, didn't we read a quote like that in English?"

"Maybe, I can't remember," Robbie said, trying to think, "Wait, yeah... Yeah!" The two friends looked at each other, and knew they were thinking the same thing.

With that, both kids jumped out of their seats, and started looking through the snack cupboards in the kitchen.

()()()()()()()()

"Your majesty!" King Greyshire sat up, and looked at his top knight.

"What is it," he asked, scowling a little, "are those children back?"

"No your majesty," the young squirrel knight replied, "this is a good thing. We have found a supply of food outside the castle.

The old squirrel raised an eyebrow. "What kind?"

"The golden bars." The king's nose twitched. In a split second, he jumped off his platform and ran to the window. Just outside the treehouse, was a small pile of Twinkies, already unwrapped. There was a dozen of them, but to a squirrel it looked like a feast.

"Get my people, we all must celebrate," the King said happily. Within minutes, all the squirrels were outside in front of the pile. "My children," the king shouted, his voice echoing throughout the forest, "let us feast!"

As the squirrels happily munched on the snack cakes, they didn't notice two heads poke out of the bushes.

"It's working!" Robbie whispered, smiling.

"We haven't won yet," Maddie whispered back. Slowly, they climbed out of the bushes, and crept towards the treehouse. Just a few feet more. Just, a few more...

SNAP!

The two looked down. Robbie was concentrating so much on the squirrels, he stepped on a small twig. You could barely tell it was there, it was so small and thin. But it was there, and the snap, as soft as it was, caught the attention of one squirrel.

He gasped. "The Invaders!" he shouted, getting everyone else's attention.

"Run!" Maddie shouted. She grabbed Robbie's arm, and pulled him over to the tree. The small army ran over to them at lightning speeds, making the two kids a bit nervous. With expert speed and timing, Robbie climbed up the tree and opened the door.

Maddie went up next. Her height was both an advantage and a disadvantage. Her long legs made it easy to climb, but also made it easy for a squirrel to grab her. Luckily, she moved her foot out of the way just in time.

Grabbing the edge of the treehouse floor, Maddie pulled herself inside, and Robbie slammed the door shut. The two were quiet for a moment, as if they couldn't believe it. And then, once they were certain they had won, they let out a happy cheer.

"We did it!" Maddie cheered.

"The treehouse is ours!" Robbie yelled. After a couple high fives and calming down a little, they decided to look out the window to see if the squirrels were still there. Sure enough, they were, and they didn't look too happy. For a moment, they thought the squirrels would try attacking them again. But then, King Greyshire stepped forward, adjusted his acorn crown, and began to speak.

"Well, I see you two are worthy foes after all, and you have won our castle fair and square," the King said, "and so, we take our leave." The King then dishearteningly waved his fellow squirrels along, taking them to find another home.

Suddenly victory didn't seem so sweet.

"Uh, hey, let's get cleaning up in here," Maddie suggested, "it probably hasn't been cleaned in years."

"Uh, yeah, okay," Robbie replied. The two then walked away from the window, and began picking up branches, leaves and acorn shells that were scattered all over the floor. As she was picking up, Maddie noticed the small quilt on the bed, 'I bet this hasn't been washed in years,' she thought. Grabbing the blanket, she swiftly pulled it off the bed, and noticed a few branches sticking out from underneath the bed. Crouching down to get a better look, she gasped.

"Hey, Robbie! Come here!"

Robbie walked over to the bed, and got down on his knees. Underneath the bed was a huge nest. "Whoa," said the stunned raccoon.

"I know," Maddie replied, "do you think it belonged to the squirrels?"

"Well, most squirrels hope from tree to tree, unless they're ground squirrels, then they live in colonies underground," said Robbie, "But, I guess there can be a few exceptions."

"I feel guilty," Maddie said with a sigh.

"Yeah, even if they were jerks, this was pretty much their home," Robbie said, "looking at the nest, it has been their home for a while."

Maddie smiled. "I'm sure we could find another hangout if we wanted to." Robbie smiled back, and they both stood up.

It didn't take long to find the king and his fellow squirrels (after all, how would you miss a group of over three dozen squirrels?). "Hey!" Maddie shouted. The squirrels all cocked their heads, and King Greyshire gave them a glare.

"What is your business with us?" he asked, "We have nothing you want."

"Yeah, but we have something to give to you," Robbie replied.

"We decided to give you guys back your treehouse," Maddie continued, "We figured you guys would appreciate it more anyway."

The King's face stayed cold and angry. "You dare try to mock us?" he asked, "You win the battle, and yet you're giving up your prize? My people do not except unwanted things and we do not except pity." With that, the king turned away from the kids.

"We'll give you more Twinkies," Robbie offered, fishing a package of two golden snack cakes out of his pocket.

The King's ears twitched. "Twinkies?"

In no time at all, all the squirrels were back in their home, eating snack cakes happily. The King even invited the two kids inside to stay for a few minutes.

"I shall thank you for the food," Greyshire told the kids, "But I shall not thank you for giving us what we already owne-"

"Yeah yeah, just eat your cake," Robbie interrupted. The king shot him a glare, but went back to eating.

"You know," Maddie said with a small smile, "For an army of squirrel warriors, you guys are kinda cute." She tried to pet the king, but he tried to snap at her as soon as she did.

Maddie glared at him. "Okay, no more Twinkies for you."

**This chapter really had no point, lol. I just thought of it randomly and thought it would be fun to write (which it was). Plus, it was something I could see Maddie and Robbie, and even Mordy and Rigby as kids doing. **

**But don't worry, the next two chapters will actually be worth reading. First I'll have a Maddie chapter that's baseball themed (it's also doing request for bg52598. Thanks for the idea, and for reviewing so often!). Then, I'll have a Robbie and Rigby chapter (gosh, when's the last time I've done one of those?). And, since starting Thursday I'm on Spring Break, that means I should have these two chapters up in two to four days! Man, I'm really getting into writing this story again, and I'm really enjoying it :D **

**So yeah, that's all for news, but I have one more request for you guys: Where would you want the Regular Show family to go for Summer Vacation. I have a couple ideas, but I want to hear what you guys think/want before I decide. Thanks! **

**Please review, and I'll see you in a couple days!**


	30. Chapter 30

_The huge dome was filled with screaming fans. The smell of food was in the air, the spotlights were on the field, and the game had begun. After the National Anthem had been sung, the opposing team ran onto the field. Her team was the first to bat, and she was the first one up. _

_She walked up to the plate, her style was dignified while at the same time casual. In her hands was not a professional MLB bat, but a bat from her childhood. As the crowd cheered, she smiled at them, but then ignored them, at least for a moment. This was the first hit of the game, she had to make it count. _

_Crouching down, the young bird got into position, and the pitched threw the ball. She swung her bat and..._

"Okay Quintel, you're up!" Her coach said.

"Huh?" Maddie looked around. Right, she wasn't at some megadome in the big leagues. But 6th inning in a junion Softball league was just as good. The young bird happily stood up, and ran onto the field.

"Aw yeah, Maddie's up again!" Mordecai stated. Both he and Margaret began clapping.

"Go get 'em, Maddie!" Margaret cheered. Both parents enjoyed watching their daughter play, and encouraged her whenever they could.

"She's doing really good today," Eileen commented as she ate a small handful of popcorn.

"Yeah, she's hit like three homeruns!" Robbie added excitedly. He looked at his dad to see what he thought of the game, but his dad wasn't even looking at the game.

"Man, where's the hot dog guy when you need him?" the elder raccoon replied.

"Dude! Pay attention!" Mordecai shouted.

"Huh? Oh, yeah!" Rigby now had his full attention on the game. "Come on Mad, swing!"

Maddie concentrated on the pitcher in front of her. She looked like she had a strong arm, so Maddie got herself prepared for a hard throw. The pitcher drew her arm back, and threw the ball. It curved and landed right in the catcher's glove.

"Strike one!"

A curve ball, she hadn't anticipated that. But now she knew. Maddie got back into position, and watched the pitcher throw the ball. This time, Maddie hit it and it flew over the white diamond. Without wasting a second, Maddie started running, hearing the crowd chanting 'Run! Run! Run!' behind her.

She easily made it to first, then second. She knew she wasn't going to make it to home, but maybe she could just make it to third. She saw the opposing team pick up the ball and throw it. She picked up her speed and made a dive for it, just as the ball was thrown at the girl on third base.

Maddie landed on the ground, her hands touching the white base, and held her breath. ... ... ... "Safe!" The crowd cheered, and Maddie beamed with pride.

"Aw yea-yuh!" Mordecai cheered.

"That's my girl!" Margaret yelled. Maddie gave her parents a wave, and sighed.

'I love baseball.' she thought.

After another hour or so the game, The Two Peaks Girls vs The Tamboline Timberwolves, ended at 20 to 18. Maddie always liked the close call games, it kept things exciting.

"Alright," Mordecai said as he walked over to his daughter's team, "Who's up for some pi-zza?" He asked this in his usual way, stretching out the last word. The girls cheered, and they all ran over to their respective parents and their cars. Once most of the girls were gone, Mordecai walked over to his daughter. "Hey Maddie, you were awesome out there!"

"Thanks Dad," Maddie smiled. Together, the two walked over to her mother and the Saylers family.

The best restaurant to celebrate at was definitely Luigi's. They didn't have any games for the kids (or Mordecai and Rigby) to play, but they did have awesome pizza. The adults all usually sat on one side of the restaurant to talk while the kids sat on the other side and celebrated.

"Dude, that would be so cool!" Maddie replied.

"I know, but where would we get the robot?" Robbie thought. Just another normal conversation for the two friends.

"Well, maybe Skips would know? Or at least know someone who's good with tech," Maddie replied before taking a sip of her soda.

"Hey, Maddie? Isn't that your coach walking towards us?" Robbie asked. The violet bird turned to look, and sure enough, the woman she called 'coach' was walking over to their table.

"Hey Quintel, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure Coach Hannah," Maddie replied, feeling curious and a little confused. She stood up, and walked away from her table. "So. what is it?"

"I'll get right to the point," Coach Hannah said bluntly, "You're too good."

Maddie blinked. "So, you're kicking me off the team?"

The brunette woman smiled. "No, I'm upgrading you to a new team," she replied, holding out a flier. Maddie looked at it. This wasn't just for another softball girls-only baseball team, but an actual baseball team, and one of the best in the county.

"No way!" Maddie shouted. She couldn't believe it. Laughing, she gave her coach a hug and then ran over to tell her family the good news. Of course they were excited, but their daughter was even more excited.

"I can't believe it! I mean, this is actual baseball! And it's the best team in the county!" Maddie said excitedly, "Can you guys believe it?"

"Yeah," Mordecai replied, "I believe it, you're awesome at baseball, and I'm not just saying that because you're my daughter."

"We're so proud of you Maddie," Margaret smiled, turning to look at Maddie, "But we want you to be careful. Listen to everything your new coach says, and make new friends with your teammates."

"I know Mom, I will." The violet bird sat back in her seat and smiled. Her dream about becoming a major league baseball player didn't seem so far away. She couldn't wait until morning.

()()()()()()()()()

"Okay, turn here!"

"Got it!" The bluejay turned the wheel, and they turned into a gravel parking lot behind the practice field of the Junior California Crushers. The violet bird practically flew out of the car as she ran towards the field. Mordecai chuckled. "Hey, slow down."

Maddie spotted the coach of the CCs. He looked buff and tan, but also old, probably in his forties. He had the usual coach attire, complete with a cap and a whistle. She also saw Coach Hannah and they were, yelling at each other?

"Coach Hannah?" She saw the human look at her, and then glare at the CC coach again.

"Hey, what's going on?" Mordecai asked, after catching up with his daughter.

"Coach Brad doesn't think Maddie belongs on this team," Coach Hannah replied with a sneer.

"What?" Maddie and Mordecai said in unison.

"Look, I'm sure your girl has a lot of softball skills, but this is a baseball team," Coach Brad replied, speaking as if he was saying facts, "And I'm sure all of my boys are way more skilled than her. We can't have any weak links on this team."

"Dude, who said anything about her being a 'weak link'?" Mordecai said, quickly getting pissed off, "You haven't even seen her play!"

"Yeah, who are you to talk?" Maddie added. Coach Brad gave her a stern look. He was just as tall as her dad, but looked a lot more threatening. Even so, she stood her ground.

"I don't need to see her play," Coach Brad said, "She's not going to be on this team."

"I swear Brad, you are the most stubborn person I've ever met!" Hannah yelled, frustrated at the coach.

"What the H is your problem?" Mordecai asked, "She's just as good as anyone on this team!"

"And I'm sure you think so, you are her father after all," Brad replied.

"Being my father has nothing to do with it!" Maddie yelled before Mordecai got a chance to, "I'm just as good as anyone on this team, and I can prove it! We can have a skills contest! Whoever hits the most balls or catches the most or whatever wins, and if I win, I get the chance to be on the team!"

Coach Brad gave the bird a look, as if to say, "You've got to be kidding me."

"I'll go up against anyone!" Maddie added, "You're best players, even you!" That caught his attention.

"Me?" Maddie nodded, and the coach smiled. "Alright missy, you've got a deal. You've got one week, and then next Saturday you come back here, and we'll just see if you belong here.

"Okay," Maddie replied.

"Good." He looked the glaring bluejay and the angry blonde coach. "Now, if you excuse me, I've got a team to coach."

As Maddie watched the coach leave, she only had one thought in her head: There was no way she was going to let herself lose.

()()()()()()()()

"He said what? Aw dude, that blows!"

"I know, but that's why I'm practicing," Maddie replied. She and Robbie were at the park, along with Mordecai and Skips. Muscleman was there too, but he wasn't really participating, he was just sitting in a lawn chair drinking soda.

"Like you need to practice," Robbie replied, "It's those jerks that need to practice."

Maddie smiled and ruffled his hair, not noticing the blush appearing on the raccoon's face. "Thanks dude, you're an awesome friend, you know that?"

"Whatever, just start practicing," Robbie replied with a small glare and smile.

"Okay Maddie, ready when you are!" Mordecai shouted. Skips stood behind the bluejay, ready to catch any balls and throw them back to Mordecai. Muscleman was just watching and enjoying the spring weather.

The bluejay brought back his arm, and threw the white ball. Maddie got ready to swing. "HEY BATTER! SWING!" Surprised, Maddie swung, and the ball flew past her.

"Dude! What the heck, Muscleman!" Mordecai shouted at the green pudgy man.

"I'm only helping, bro," Muscleman replied, "You don't think that other team will do the same thing? No guy wants a girl on their team, and they'll do anything to keep her off, bro."

"Alright fine," Mordecai replied, although not too happy about it. He got ready to throw another ball.

"Hey batter batter, hey batter girl! Swing! Swing and hit the ball, if you can hit the ball! You know who CAN hit the ball? My Mo- AHHH!" Muscleman quickly ducked down before the baseball could hit him in the head. "Hey! You did that on purpose!"

"You can't prove anything!" Maddie shouted back while Robbie tried to hold in his laughter.

The week went by quickly. When the young violet bird wasn't at school or doing homework, she was practicing either by herself or with her father and Skips. Her batting average and pitching were high, and her catching was pretty good too. "She sure is a determined girl, isn't she?" Pops commented one day as he and Benson watched Maddie practice.

"I think she gets it from Mordecai," Benson replied, remembering how the bluejay along with Rigby would usually resort to desperate measures to get something or fix something, not letting anything stand in their way.

"Well, I think it's cool," Robbie commented after taking a sip from his drink, "I mean, wouldn't most kids give up? I think Maddie's too stubborn to give up."

"You're one to talk," Benson replied with a small smile.

"Hey!"

The gumball machine chuckled. As he watched Maddie, he couldn't help but wonder. What if she did all this work for nothing? What if she didn't get on the team, even after all this. Benson knew what it was like to work hard for something and then be disappointed. He just hoped Maddie wouldn't get hurt.

That Friday night, the dinner table was quiet. Maddie would say a few things like thank you for the food or giving a short reply to a question, but other than that, she was completely silent.

"The roast is really good tonight, Mom," Maddie commented quietly as she ate another bite.

"Thanks sweetie, there's plenty more if you want seconds," Margaret replied, giving her a comforting smile.

"Thanks but, I'm full," Maddie answered. She quietly stood up, and walked over to the sink, "G'night." With that, the violet bird walked to her room. The kitchen was silent once again.

"Mordecai," Margaret sighed. The bluejay looked up. "I'm worried about her. She seems really upset about this."

"So, you think we should cancel tomorrow?" Mordecai asked, "I mean, she doesn't have to be on the team if she doesn't want to."

"I don't think it's about being on the team, it's what she has to do to be on it," Margaret said. Mordecai understood now.

"I think I'll go talk to her, okay?" Mordecai asked. His wife smiled, and then gave him a small kiss. His beak formed a small smile just for a moment, and then he excused himself from the dinner table and went to his daughter's room. "Hey, Maddie? Can I come in?"

"... Yeah." Mordecai walked in, and saw his daughter lying on her bed, tossing a baseball up into the air and catching it.

"So, tomorrow's the big day, huh," Mordecai said casually, sitting down on the bed.

"Yeah, and I should be excited but..." Maddie caught the ball, and held it close.

"You feel nervous, and pressured, right?" Mordecai finished.

"Maybe we should start calling you Skips," Maddie replied with a hint of sarcasm. Mordecai took it with good humor though, chuckling at the joke.

"Hey, I'm just saying." He placed a hand on her head and stroked her hair. "You know, you don't have to feel pressured or anything. Your mom and I will still think your a great baseball player even if you don't make the team. And so will Robbie, and your team, and everyone else."

"I know I know, but what about me, Dad?" Maddie asked, moving her head away, "I just, feel like I have to make the team, for myself. To prove that I have what it takes."

"You already have what it takes, Maddie," Mordecai replied, "And you don't need to be on some team to know it." Maddie looked at him silently. "There are hundreds of teams out there, and I may not be as smart as Skips, but I think most of them don't have a 'Must have been on the California Crushers to Join' rule."

He smiled at his daughter. "And no matter what happens tomorrow, team or not, you're still an awesome baseball player, and an even awesomer kid." Maddie smiled back and giggled a little.

"You know, I don't think 'awesomer' is a word."

"Hey, don't correct me while I'm trying to motivate you!"

Maddie laughed and gave her dad a hug. "Thanks Daddy."

"No problem, Maddie." After staying that way for a few more moments, Mordecai left Maddie's room. His daughter now felt a lot more confident, and even a little excited and anxious. She didn't know how she was going to sleep that night. She only knew that tomorrow would be an exciting day.

()()()()()()()()(()

The sun shone down on the dew covered grass. It was a warm, bright Saturday morning, and Maddie was ready. Wearing a light blue tee, the blue and white headband her mother had bought her, and her old baseball cap, she stepped onto the field. Robbie was right beside her, and her parents were watching in the bleachers.

Maddie saw Coach Brad talking to the other boys on the team. They all looked over at her, with either curious or threatening looks. The coach excused himself to get a quick drink, and the boys all turned their attention to Maddie.

"So, you gonna try to beat Coach Brad?" one boy asked.

"Yeah, what about it?" Maddie replied.

"He used to work in the majors you know!" another boy called out.

"There's no way you can beat him!" said another boy, "You should just go home and go shopping or cook or whatever."

"Shows what you know!" Robbie shouted, "Maddie hates shopping and her cooking sucks!" Maddie gave the young raccoon a look. "What? I was just trying to help."

Just then, Coach Brad walked back over to Maddie, he was carrying two buckets of baseballs. "Grab one of the bats and go over to home plate," he ordered, gesturing over to the small trashcan filled with baseball bats that the team used.

"No thanks, I brought my own," Maddie replied, holding up the bat Mordecai had bought her after the Fall Sports Festival incident.

"Fine," the burly coach replied, "You'll get two tests. The first is hitting. I'll throw this entire bucket of balls at you. If you miss more than ten times, the test is over. The test ends when the bucket is empty. Any questions?"

"No sir," Maddie replied before walking over to home plate. Robbie walked over to the bleachers and sat on the bottom step, while Mordecai and Margaret sat on the top.

Brad sat the bucket down by the pitcher's mound, and picked one of the baseball's up. "Ready?" he asked.

"Hm hm," was Maddie's reply. The coach drew his arm back, and threw the ball. It flew by her head almost instantly. "Huh!"

"Whoa!" Robbie said in awe.

"Dude, I didn't even see that in the air until it hit the ground!" Mordecai commented.

"Guess this guy isn't a normal coach," Margaret commented.

Maddie couldn't believe it. She scowled. 'But he's not going to surprise me again'. She got back into position, and the coach picked up another ball. He threw it without even asking. This time, she hit the ball, but just barely. It hit the tip of her bat, and bounced to the ground.

"Well, I guess that counts," Brad said with a small smirk. Maddie could hear the boys laughing, but just ignored them. Another ball, in Brad's hand one second, and flying at her the next.

Hands holding on tightly, Maddie swung her bat and CRACK! The ball flew over the coach's head. "Whoa!" was everyone's reaction. Maddie smiled, while the coach scowled.

It only took three minutes for the rest of the test. Maddie hit ball after ball, each going a good distance. When the coach would change his speed or style of pitching, Maddie would sometimes miss or barely hit the ball, but she quickly adapted to the changes. In the end, Maddie had only missed seven balls.

Robbie cheered. "That's my girl!" Margaret yelled while Mordecai did his traditional "Oohhhhhhh!" Maddie grinned. Just one more test.

"Alright missy, this is your next test," said Brad as he handed her the second bucket of baseballs, "We're going to see how you are at pitching." The boys started whispering, and Maddie couldn't help but think that she wasn't going to be pitching to the normal baseball player, or even the normal MLB player (if that was even true).

"If you can get just one ball past me, you pass the test," Brad explained, "and you only have fifty baseballs. If you don't, at least you still have softball."

"So I can't try again?" Maddie asked.

"My team is a league champion, we can't waste time testing someone who won't be on the team," Brad replied, "So, no."

"Okay," Maddie said, her face stoic and calm, without the hint of worry or disappointment. Brad raised an eyebrow at this. All the other kids he gave this test to almost immediately complained that it wasn't fair.

'Well, she's tough, I'll give her that,' the coach thought. He walked over to the array of baseball bats, and picked up four of them.

"What would he need four bats for?" Robbie asked out loud.

Maddie walked over to the pitchers mound, and picked up a baseball. "Ready when you are," she shouted.

"Give me a minute, missy," Brad replied. He bowed his head, and his body started shaking. Clouds seemed to form out of nowhere, and the coach's body almost had a red glow to it. Margaret gasped, while Maddie, Mordecai and Robbie watched in awe. The coach became taller and wider, more than twice as big as before. Two new limbs grew from his sides, becoming arms and hands. Coach Brad stopped glowing, and looked up, smiling confidently. He held all four baseball bats in his four hands. "Ready," he answered, looking at the wide eyed girl.

"Yep, definitely not a normal coach," Mordecai said. Maddie took a deep breath, and threw the ball. With one of his bats, he knocked it away like it was nothing, not even blinking or reacting.

"Crap," Maddie mumbled as she picked up another ball. Each time she threw a ball, she got the same result. One of Brad's arms would hit the ball, and knock it away. She was down to only a few balls.

"Getting tired, Missy?" Coach Brad, who looked like he wasn't even breaking a sweat, asked.

"No way," Maddie replied.

"Well then, let's finish this little test, okay?" Scowling, she picked up a ball and threw it as hard as she could. CRACK! This time, she threw it fast. CRACK! Slow this time. CRACK! Maddie reached down and felt only metal.

"Oh no," she said before looking down. There was just one baseball left, sitting by itself in the cold metal bucket. This was her last chance.

"Come on Maddie, you can do this!" Robbie shouted, "Don't freak out!"

Maddie started thinking. Real life or video games, everyone had a weakness. She just had to find his. But with four arms and four bats, having a weakness seemed almost impossible for the coach. 'Don't think about that, just think!' Maddie scolded herself. She looked at the balls on the ground, and then noticed something. They all landed on one side, the left side. Which meant he always from right to left.

Maddie smiled. "It just might work." Robbie saw Maddie, and smiled too. He had no doubt in his mind. When it came to baseball, Maddie definitely knew what she was doing.

"Are you going to throw it today, or should we go on a lunch break?" Brad asked. Maddie said nothing, only drew her arm back. The coach smiled, and got his bats ready.

Everything almost seemed like it was in slow motion. Maddie felt her arm go forward, and the ball leave her hand and fly towards the coach. It was heading towards his right side. As it got closer, Brad held up his two right handed bats, and got ready to swing. "Come on, come on!" Maddie whispered, watching the ball like a hawk.

Seconds turned to hours, but slowly the ball started to spin and go to the left, narrowing missing the two bats, much to Brad surprised. By the time he started to lift his left handed bats up, it was too late. The ball flew past him, and landed in the soft grass.

"Yes!" Maddie said, fistpumping.

"Alright Maddie!" Robbie shouted as he and Maddie's parents ran off the bleachers. The raccoon and violet bird shared a high five, and the three birds gave each other hugs. The clouds slowly started to disappear.

"That was amazing Maddie!" Margaret said as she hugged her daughter.

"Margaret, that wasn't amazing," Mordecai replied, "That was epic!" Maddie laughed, and let go of her parents. She saw the coach looking dumbfounded.

"Hey!" she shouted, getting his attention, "Good game coach!" Brad gave her a look, but nevertheless shrunk down to his original size, his extra limbs disappearing. He walked over to Maddie, not saying a word.

"Well, I have to say, that was a pretty good curveball," Brad finally said, although not smiling, "but you're not joining us for practice today, I'd say you've practiced enough. But starting next week, I expect you here three times a week."

"You bet, coach," Maddie replied with a smile. Brad still didn't return it, but did give her a small wave before walking back over to his stunned team. He still wasn't thrilled about having a girl on his team, but that curve ball had given her a little of his respect. Just a little.

"So I guess you're a California Crusher now, huh?" Robbie said.

"Yep," Maddie said proudly. Despite all the work, this feeling was all worth it. She sighed happily. "I love baseball."

**Thanks for reading guys! Next Chapter: Rigby and Robbie. Should be awesome! If you've ever had to wait until midnight for something in a store, you should enjoy it. Until then, have a nice day! :D**


	31. Chapter 31

The young raccoon let out a small yawn. "Hey Robbie, what time is it?" he heard Rigby ask. He looked at his digital watch.

"It's 10:30, Dad," Robbie groaned. Rigby groaned back.

"Why does midnight take so long to get here!" he complained, sounding more like the kid than the father.

Robbie chuckled. "Well, at least we only have an hour and a half to go," he reminded, "Hey, you wanna play Robot Crushers again?"

"Yeah okay," Rigby replied, pulling out his DS.

Robbie smiled, and got out his own DS. It was a good thing it was a Friday night, otherwise he would never be allowed to do this (at least, his mom wouldn't let him). But since it was Friday, Robbie and Rigby were standing outside the game store with about two hundred other people, drinking hot chocolate and coffee.

Tonight was the premier of the newest RPG video game. It was supposed to have over three hundred hours of content (not counting the unlockables), dozens of different stories and characters, and one of the most action filled games ever! As soon as the two raccoons saw the commercial for the game, they knew they were going to be one of the first people to get it. They became even more determined when they saw that the first hundred people get a gold case for their controller (which Rigby wanted) and a three hundred page game guide, complete with stories about the characters and tips for the game (which Robbie definitely wanted to read).

"And, boom!" Robbie shouted. His father's character exploded, and Rigby let out a frusterated shout.

"You know, I really hate playing games with you sometimes," Rigby pouted.

"Do you want to play again?"

"You're on!" The two smiled at each other, and went to the 'Character Select' screens. But just as they were about to start another round, Rigby noticed to guys, a father and his son, walk past them and took the spot in front of them.

"Hey!" Robbie shouted, "You can't cut in line!"

"Well, who's going to make us move?" the boy, who was at least a foot taller than Robbie, "You? You're so short, you probably can't even reach the game demo machines set up in the shop!" Robbie growled as the boy laughed. He made a fist, but Rigby stopped him.

"I'll take care of this," he said, before tapping the man (who was at least FOUR feet taller than Rigby) on the shoulder. "Hey, dude!"

The man turned. He had black hair, and a lot of muscle. He looked really tough, like someone you didn't want to mess with. In fact, no smart person would try to fight with him. But then again... "Hey, you and your kid can't cut in front of us!" Rigby shouted, "We've been here since eight!"

"So have we," the man replied, glaring at the raccoon, "We just went to go get something to eat."

"Oh yeah right," Rigby said, rolling his eyes.

"You callin' me and my kid liars?" the man asked, looking pretty angry.

"That depends, are you going to go to the back of the line?" Rigby asked, getting in the man's face.

"No, but I am going to do this!" The man then grabbed Rigby's DS, and threw it at the brick wall, destroying it.

"What the H!" Rigby shouted. Without any warning, he jumped up and started hitting the man's face. The man started hitting back, and the people both in front of them and behind them started chanting "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Get him Dad!" Robbie shouted.

"Come on Dad, destroy that little rat!" the kid yelled.

"Hey!" The crowd grew silent, and the two dads froze. An angry employee walked up to them and separated the two. "Okay, no more fighting," he said sternly, "and if I see you two fighting again, I'm calling the cops and neither one of you are getting the game. Got it?"

The two dads, while glaring at each other, nodded. Satisfied, the employee went back inside the store.

"So, what now Coon?" the man asked.

"There's no way I'm letting you cut in front of us, Dude," Rigby replied, "We want that gold case and book."

"So do we," the man replied, "so, how are we going to settle this?"

"Well, we are in line for a video game," Robbie said, speaking up, "How about we settle this with a video game?"

The man smiled, "Alright," he said, "But since your DS is kinda broken-" Rigby glared at the man. "-We'll use ours."

"Hm hm, fine," said Rigby, "and whoever loses has to go to the back of the line."

"Deal. Hey, Kaleb! Get out 'Extreme Legends 3'." Kaleb smiled, and reached into his backpack, pulling out two black DS's and a game case.

"Extreme Legends 3?" Robbie repeated, almost in awe, "That game is supposed to be incredible."

"Looks like someone wasn't cool enough to get a copy," Kaleb retorted. Robbie growled at him again.

"Wait, what kind of DS's are these?" Rigby asked, taking one of them. It looked like there was a computer chip installed in the back of them.

"I'm a bit of a video game wizard," the man said with a sly smile, "just my own little addition to the handheld. So, you ready to play or what?"

"Hm hm," Rigby replied, glaring at the man. Both fathers turned on their handheld games, and pressed start. Suddenly, a beam of light shot out of both game systems. On the man's, the light formed a word: Player One. On Rigby's, Player Two.

"Whoa!" Rigby and Robbie said in unison. The crowd started murmuring and whispering.

"Yep, holographic images," the man said casually, "just thought it would make the game a little more exciting."

They both picked their character. Rigby picked a viking character while the man (who's name, according to the game, was Mark) picked a swordsman. The characters appeared on the road in front of them. Everyone in the line stood on their toes to try to get a better view of the fight, or got out their cell phones to record it. The word "Ready?" appeared on their screens, and they both pressed their start buttons.

The game had begun.

()()()()()()()()()()

Three minutes. That's how long the fight lasted. Although, to be fair, that was pretty good in Rigby standards.

"Okay, he's really good," Rigby said as he rubbed the back of his head. Even if it was just a virtual explosion, it was still pretty powerful.

Mark was laughing. "Well, I'd say 'Good Game', but you didn't even give me that!" He laughed again. "So, take your kid, and get to the back of the line."

Rigby looked at Robbie. "I'm sorry Robbie," he said, feeling guilty. Dads were supposed to be these awesome people that could do anything, at least according to their kids. But he couldn't even do that right. "But, I guess we can try to get that book thing on eBay."

"Thanks but, maybe we can still get it tonight," Robbie replied, giving his dad an encouraging smile.

"Dude, do you see how many people are here?" Rigby asked, pointing at the long line of people, "Like, over nine thousand or something."

"I'm not talking about waiting in line, Dad," Robbie replied, "I'm talking about keeping our place in line."

"Robbie, there's no way I could beat this guy, he's even better than Mordecai!" Rigby retorted.

"I didn't mean you, Dad," Robbie said with a sly smile, "and I didn't say about playing this game."

Robbie took out a game, and Rigby's eyes widened. He recognized that game right away.

_"This is a video game, like the ones me and Mordecai play." Rigby held the package up in front of his three year old._

_"Game!" said three year old Robbie. _

_"Yep, and you get to watch," Rigby replied. While this kind of game wasn't what he usually played, he figured it would be easy enough for his son to follow. Bright colors, easy shapes, and it wasn't too fast. Plus, Eileen would like that it wasn't really violent. Besides, he was only renting it for the weekend, so if Robbie got bored watching him play, it wasn't like he wasted any money on it._

_After ten minutes of watching, the little raccoon looked up at his dad. "Me play?" he asked. Most parents wouldn't let a three year old play a video game, for fear they would break it or get seizures or something. Rigby on the other hand..._

_"Sure, just be careful," Rigby said, "if we break your mom's DS, no dessert for either of us." Robbie got into the game right away, only getting frustrated a couple times. But when that did happen, Rigby was right there to help him out. _

_Three months later, Rigby bought the game for Robbie's birthday present, and the two played it at least five to six hours a week._

Rigby smiled back at his son. "Hm hm hmhm hm hm!" they did in unison. Robbie then turned to look at Mark and his son. "Hey!" he said.

"What do you want, Kid?" Mark asked, "and shouldn't you and your dad start heading to the back before more people show up?"

"You must be pretty good at video games, huh?" Robbie asked, ignoring Mark's comment, "then you won't mind another challenge, right?"

Mark laughed in his face. "You do know you're challenging me, and not my kid right? Heck, even my kid could beat you, if you're his son." He pointed at Rigby. The elder raccoon quickly got angry again, but Robbie kept his cool.

"How about we make it interesting?" Robbie asked, pushing his glasses up a little.

"How interesting?"

"Winner not only has to move to the back of the line, but help pay for half of the winner's copy of the game," Robbie answered.

Obviously pleased with this, Mark smiled. "You've got yourself a deal kid."

"Oh, and how about we play this?" Robbie held up the game.

"Ha, that game? This'll be easier than I thought! Okay, let's do it."

Both Mark and Robbie put in the game card, turned on their DS's, and pressed start. Light shot out from both games, and formed one word:

Tetris.

The people in the line started whispering. The light separated and formed two three dimensional squares. Two dimensional shapes and lines started falling.

The game started out easy at first. Just simple things like L blocks, square blocks, and squiggly lines. Both sides were piling up quickly, and both sides had holes perfect for line pieces.

But instead of leaving the space open, Robbie covered it with a square piece. The crowd whispered. What was Robbie up to?

"Choking already, shorty?" Kaleb asked. Robbie ignored him, and kept playing. Thanks to a couple more pieces, the square piece (as well as the top two rows) disappeared, just as a line piece appeared. In an instant, Robbie was down to one row while Mark had five.

But that didn't mean Mark was losing. He had a few good tricks too, and was now down to only two rows of blocks.

The game continued. Blocks appeared, were stacked, and disappeared. No words were exchanged between the two opponents, both were totally focused on the game.

10:30 turned to 11. 11 turned to 11:30. Before they knew it, it was only five minutes until the game was released.

"Why don't we end this?" Mark asked, "if this doesn't end soon, neither one of us will get the game, the people behind us will just walk past us. Just take a dive, kid."

"Don't listen to him, Robbie!" Rigby yelled, "just stayed focused."

Robbie didn't respond. He knew if he was going to win, he needed to keep one hundred percent focused. Both Robbie and Mark's tetris walls were nearly to the top.

An L block appeared, and the crowd gasped. He only had one second to switch it around.

"He'll never get this," Mark smiled as he placed a square block on his own side.

'One shot,' Robbie thought. The raccoon placed his thumb on the direction pad, and quickly pressed the right and left button at the same time. Not only did he flip it just in time, but he put it in the empty space, getting rid of two lines. The crowd cheered, making Mark jump in surprise.

"Huh?"

"Dad, watch it!" Kaleb shouted. Mark turned to see the line block land vertically on top of his wall, only two spaces away from an empty spot.

"No!" Mark shouted. A cube block fell and landed before he had a chance to try and move it. The three dimensional screen shook, and was replaced with the words 'Game Over'. For the first time in nearly two hours, Robbie smiled.

"Yeah! Yea-yeah!" Rigby shouted, running over to his son, "Robbie, that was awesome!"

"Well, I have had a lot of practice," Robbie replied. Rigby smiled at Robbie, and then looked up at Mark.

"Guess you guys have to go all the way to the back," the elder raccoon bragged, "Oohhhhhh!"

"Yeah yeah," Mark mumbled, "we're goin', but you can't make me pay for your game. Come on boy." He and Kaleb started walking back to the back of the line, just before the doors of the store opened.

"Race you inside!" Robbie challenged.

"You're on!" Rigby replied as they both got down on all fours, and ran right along side the other people in line into the video game store.

()()()()()()()()

"Aw dude! I didn't know the video game came in a gold case too!" Rigby shouted as he looked at the video game, "So cool!"

Robbie's tail wagged excitedly as he looked at the game's cool cover, the game book and controller case in his arms. "We are so playing this all weekend."

"Yeah we are!" Rigby replied. As he put his car into 'drive', he heard Robbie yawn a little.

"Hey Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for taking me to the midnight release."

Rigby smiled. "No problem dude, remember I wanted the game too."

"Yeah, I know, but still..." The young raccoon yawned again. "Hey, can I lean against you?"

"Sure," Rigby replied as he turned a corner. "So, I read on the internet that there's supposed to be this awesome mission where you go back in time to get this weapon, and then you come back to the present, and fight along side yourself to defeat this one guy! Isn't that awesome? ... Robbie?"

Rigby looked down, and saw his son fast asleep. He smiled and decided to stop talking and take the corners a little more gently. As he drove, he thought about that night (or rather, last night. It was after midnight after all).

Sure, he lost to another kid's dad, and his son basically had to win for him. That sounded kinda pathetic when you thought about it.

But, then again, Robbie only won because Rigby had been letting him play video games since he was a toddler. They had played tetris together. Heck, they still played video games together. It was something they loved to do together. That was the whole point of coming out that night. Not only to get an epic, awesome game, but to get an epic awesome game they could play together.

The elder raccoon smiled. Sure, he wasn't the strongest dad, or the tallest, or the smartest, or (and he hated to admit this) the coolest. But, he did like hanging out with his kid, and vise versa. And maybe, that was enough.

After pulling into the driveway, Rigby shook Robbie a little. "Robbie? Come on dude, we're home."

"Mmm," Robbie mumbled, clearly not wanting to wake up. And really, Rigby didn't want to wake him up. He remembered how annoying it was when he would take a nap and someone would wake him up. Especially when he was really comfortable, and Robbie definitely looked comfortable.

And so that why, that morning Eileen found the two of them in the car, leaning on each other and fast asleep.

**I really enjoyed writing this chapter, even with all the difficulties I had (I'm not really a gamer :P). But I really liked writing Rigby and Robbie and showing more of their relationship. I just love writing characters, especially when they're as fun as Rigby and Robbie. **

**Hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Please review and I'll see you next time! :D **


	32. Chapter 32

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update (freaking writer's block). I read all the comments saying that you guys wanted more Rigby and Eileen. I think that's the most popular pairing in this story since people seem to ask for it. Not that I mind, they're such a cute couple. But I wanted to get Mordecai and Margaret in here too. So, I wanted to think of a way to get all the adults together, but not have it be another date night since I didn't want to repeat myself. But, since my brain was still in Spring Break mode, I couldn't really think of anything. Fortunately once I got back to school, my mind started working again.**

**So yeah, fairly normal chapter again. Nothing really crazy happens. Well, technically something does happen but, oh, you'll see when you read the chapter. Enjoy! **

It was just after lunchtime. After four sandwiches and some chips, Rigby and Eileen sat down on the couch, Rigby resting his head on Eileen. You'd think she would mind but honestly, she didn't. She liked it when her husband got close.

"You know, this is nice," she heard Rigby say. She looked down at her husband. "Yeah, just sitting here relaxing, not having to worry about work or chores or anything like that. Just sitting her, with you, reeeeelaxing. Just taking it easy."

"...You're bored out of your mind, aren't you?"

"How could you tell?" Eileen just giggled.

"Rigby, we've been together for nearly fifteen years, I think I know how to tell what you're feeling," the mole woman replied, "though, I do appreciate you trying to hide it. But, to tell you the truth, I'm feeling a little bored too."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, relaxing's nice, but it does get boring after a while. So, what do you think we should do? We do have three hours until Robbie gets home." She asked him this while looking right at him. He looked straight back at her just for a moment before sitting up.

"Well... we could play video games?" Eileen couldn't help but smile at her husband. She loved him dearly, but sometimes he didn't quite get the messages. "What? Why are you smiling at me?" Rigby asked, a little confused.

"Nothing. And, as fun as video games sound, I was thinking maybe we could go somewhere, just for a couple hours." She hopped off the couch and grabbed her keys. "Come on, I'll drive."

"Why can't I drive?" Rigby asked, his ears folding a little in disappointment.

"Because then where we're going won't be a surprise," Eileen replied. Rigby pouted just a little, but got in the car. They drove for about twenty minutes before arriving at the old iron gates of the park. The raccoon instantly felt nostalgia, and smiled.

'Yeah, we haven't seen Benson and Pops in a while. We can't visit Skips since he's at school, but we can still see them.' And sometimes, just a small visit was nice. The two mammals got out of their car, and walked to the familiar green house.

Rigby knocked on the door. "Hey Benson, Pops, you guys home?" The door opened, but standing behind it wasn't Benson or Pops. "Mordecai?"

"Rigby?" Mordecai replied, looking surprised but also glad to see his best friend and practically sister in law, "what are you guys doing here?"

"Just a little visit," Eileen answered. The three walked inside, and saw Benson, Pops and Margaret sitting in the living room around a coffee table. The lolliman's face instantly brightened.

"Oh my, more guests!" he said, smiling, "Rigby, Eileen, hello!"

"Hey Pops," they both replied in unison. The two sat down in between Mordecai and Margaret. A different kind of mood entered the room. Just the six of them being together, nearly their whole park family, it just made everyone feel a little more nostalgic.

"So, you guys were bored too?" Benson asked.

"We just thought it would be nice to visit," Eileen replied with a small smile.

"So, we're all here," Rigby said, looking around the table at his friends, "what do we do?"

"Oh! We could play cards!" Pops suggested, "We have just enough people here to play a good game." The others looked around at each other, and smiled.

"Yeah, a game of poker sounds like fun," Mordecai commented.

"Yeah, let's do it," Margaret added. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"Good show!" Pops shouted happily. In a flash, he got up and went to go fetch the deck of cards.

"I'll get us some sodas," Benson said, standing up as well. In just a few minutes, each person had a can of soda and some cards.

"So Benson, are you sure you'll be able to handle this?" Rigby asked.

"I think I can take you both on in a card game," Benson replied, not looking impressed.

"No, not that," Mordecai replied, "he meant if you could handle two hours without working."

"Ha ha," Benson said dryly while the two girls giggled a little.

"Aw come on Benson, you know we're just joking," Mordecai said, giving the gumball machine a friendly smile.

"And you know that for that little comment, I'm winning this round," Benson replied.

"Aw no way dude," Rigby said, his competitive nature showing, "I'm totally winning."

"Guys, the game hasn't even started yet," Margaret said, interrupting the three.

"I'm still going to win," Rigby mumbled. Everyone except Pops rolled their eyes. After passing out the rest of the cards, the game had officially begun.

"So, how have you all been doing?" Pops asked after looking at his cards, genuinely curious about what the extended members of his 'family' had been up to.

"Nothing much, just the same old stuff," Rigby replied.

"Yeah, we already told you about Maddie's new team," Margaret added, "other than that, nothing really big has happened."

"There isn't even anything new at the library," Eileen said with a hint of disappointment, "Usually the spring reading programs start or we'll at least get a few new books. I guess this is just a slow month."

"Sometimes I think maybe I should come back and work here again," Mordecai stated, thinking out loud, "then exciting things would happen at least once a week."

Benson gave the bluejay a look. "You know, most of the time those things happened because you two were slacking off, not because you were at the park."

"Hey, we didn't slack off!" Rigby shouted in defense. Everyone gave him a look. "Well, maybe a little." Benson rolled his eyes and took another card.

As the game continued, Mordecai looked around the table. Everyone had their own look. Benson and Eileen were stone faced, making it hard to tell whether they had a good or bad hand. Pops was always smiling, but Mordecai noticed that his smile would grow or shrink depending on his hand. For Margaret, she remained mostly stoic, but Mordecai could tell by looking in her eyes what card she drew.

But Rigby by far was the easiest to get. He would always get fidgety and look panicked when he had a bad hand, but then smiled and looked cocky when he had a great hand. Mordecai couldn't help but chuckle. "What?" Rigby asked, "What are you laughing at?"

"Dude, you have like no poker face whatsoever," Mordecai replied. The raccoon shot him a glare.

"You know, it's kinda true," Benson added.

"STOP TALKIIIIING!" Rigby shouted at them both, but the group just laughed.

"Hey dude, I'm just telling you the truth so you won't lose as easily," Mordecai replied.

"I'll show you!" With that, the raccoon leapt out of his seat and ran outside, but he left the door open so they knew he was coming back. A few moments later, Rigby came back wearing a pair of sunglasses he had found in the glove compartment of his car. "Hm hm! Let's see you try to guess my cards now!"

"He won't have to," Benson interrupted. He placed his cards on the table. "I win."

"What!" Mordecai and Rigby shouted in unison. They both stood up to get a better look at the gumball machine's cards. "No way!/You cheated!" The two shouted.

"I didn't cheat!" Benson shouted back, "I've told you before, cards are my game."

"Fine, but this time I'm dealing the cards," Mordecai insisted, not feeling too thrilled about losing the first round. Everyone passed their cards to the bluejay, who then began to shuffle them. As the cards were passed out, Margaret had a thought.

"I wonder where the phrase 'poker face' came from anyway," the cardinal said, not asking anyone in-particular.

"I was wondering that myself," Pops added.

"I believe that the phrase originated in poker, meaning someone who's face can't be read," Eileen said, thinking back to a book she read, "There's no exact date on when the phrase was first used, just that it's gotten more popular overtime, and is even used in things that have nothing to do with poker."

"I always thought it came from that weird chick's song," Rigby added, "You know, 'P-p-p-poker face'?"

Mordecai groaned. "Augh, I hate that song! They play it all the time on the radio."

Rigby looked at his friend. "Wait, you actually listen to that station?" He began laughing loudly. "Oh my god, Mordecai!"

The bluejay shot the laughing raccoon a glare. "Shut up! I only listen to it because there are two girls in the car with me, so I get out voted." This time, everyone laughed.

"Oh come on Mordecai, it's not that bad," Margaret said, "I've heard you singing along to 'E.T.' a couple of times."

"Well, okay maybe not all of the songs are bad," Mordecai reluctantly admitted, "but I would still rather listen to the classics." He then smiled and began to sing. "She says we've gotta hooold on, to what we've got. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not!"

Rigby jumped in. "We've got each other, and that's a lot for loooove. We'll give it a shot!"

Now both of them were singing together. "Whooooa, we're halfway there! Ohhhhh! Livin' on a prayer!" At this part, Rigby smiled at Eileen while Mordecai took Margaret's hand. "Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear! Ooohhhh! Livin' on a prayer!"

The girls giggled while Pops clapped. "Good show!" he shouted. While Benson didn't say anything, he couldn't help but smile at the two. Even if they were annoying and at times the worst workers that Benson had ever seen, there was one thing to admire about them. Their sense of fun and life. They had the ability to turn a normal work day into something irregular and crazy, and turn a normal card game into a freaking sing-a-long. No matter how annoying they could be at times, Benson wouldn't have them any other way.

"Slackers for life," Benson mumbled with a smile.

Since they were on the topic of music, everyone began to say what their favorites were. Margaret and Eileen liked the eighty's bands like 'Fist Pump' and 'Journey', but also really liked the modern stuff. Although, to everyone's surprise, Eileen admitted to being a big Pat Benatar fan. "I used to have my hair like hers," the mole woman admitted, "it was just a phase I was going through." Rigby couldn't help but wish he could have seen her hair like that. Something told him it would've looked awesome.

Mordecai and Rigby of course loved rock and roll bands. Benson admitted to liking things like 'Asia' and Phil Collins. With Pops, he preferred the music he grew up with in the 1900s, like jazz and old catchy showtunes.

After talking about their favorite types of music (and two more rounds going by with Eileen and Pops winning), they decided to discuss their least favorite music, or songs they hated but couldn't get out of their heads. Of course, the infamous 'Summertime Lovin'" story was told.

"Wait, so you guys just woke up and the tape was just... there?" Margaret asked.

"Yep," Mordecai replied non nonchalantly.

"Playing the song and dancing," Rigby added.

"But, how is that even possible?" Eileen asked.

"Sometimes it's just best to forget about it and just accept it," Benson replied, "believe me."

"Anyway, we decided to fight fire with fire," Rigby continued. He heard Mordecai cough. "Fine! _Mordecai _thought of the idea to make our own catchy song to fight against it. And it actually worked!"

"But then Rigby had _that _song stuck in his head," Mordecai added.

"Remind me to never get a song stuck in my head," Margaret commented.

"Well, it wasn't the weirdest day we had," said Rigby, "there was the day with the giant coffee bean, or that spraypaint dude, or the time we went to that dizzy world, or last week when we-Oof!" Mordecai quickly punched him.

"Wait, what was he going to say?" Margaret asked.

"Uh, nothing?" Mordecai said, giving an obvious fake smile.

"Okay, what did you guys do?" Benson asked, sounding like a parent.

"Nothing! It was nothing, really!" Mordecai replied.

"Yeah, I don't even know what I was going to say," Rigby added. Everyone gave the duo a look, and the two groaned, knowing there was no way out of this.

"Fine, we'll tell you," Mordecai surrendered, "Like Rigby said, it was last week..."

()()()()()()()()()()

"Okay so coffee, get some groceries from the store, and then go back home and play until our eyes fall out!"

"Dude, the game can't be that good," Mordecai said, chuckling a little at his friend.

"Uh, yeah, it is dude! And Robbie and I found this sweet new weapon last night." Rigby began waving his arms around. "Just holding the sword makes you start glowing like those guys from that anime we watched with the huge hair. And it gives you, like, a freaking huge power boost! It's going to be so awesome!"

"Well, first we have to do this," Mordecai said. Once again, Mordecai and Rigby were having one of their coffee and video games days, or as Rigby liked to call it, 'Joe With my Bro and Pwning Noobs Time'. Both of their wives were at work and the kids were playing at Greg's house with their friends, so today was the perfect day to just sit back and play video games all day. The only thing different was Margaret asked them to pick up some groceries on their way home, just a few things, no problem right?

As the two friends walked towards the old coffee shop, they spotted a small table set up with a wide array of cookies on it. Sitting there were two little girls in Pine Scouts uniforms. At the tender age of eight, they were both old enough to sit out there with out a parent, but still cute enough to reel in the customers.

"Hello sir," said the brunette girl in her white and green uniform, "Would you like a box of Pine Scout cookies?"

"They're only four dollars each," the blonde girl added.

"Sorry guys," Mordecai replied, "my wife didn't say anything about getting cookies. But hey, when you come around our neighborhood next fall I'll totally buy a box."

"Thank you Sir!" the girls chimed.

"Is it me, or are those girls too cute?" Rigby said as they walked down the stairs.

"Dude, they're just little kids," Mordecai replied, "There's nothing weird about them. Besides, they make good cookies." Rigby couldn't argue with that. After a cup of hot, refreshing coffee, the two walked to the grocery store. Once again, there was a table with two little girls sitting there. Only instead of wearing the Pine Scouts uniform, they wore dark purple uniforms and red velvet cloaks, with a black hat instead of a beret.

"Must be the season for cookie selling or something," Mordecai said, not thinking too much of it.

"Yeah," Rigby replied, only half listening. These cookies smelt freshly baked, and really good. The raccoon could feel his stomach growling. He just had to have some of those cookies! 'Wait, no wallet.' He didn't bring any money since he knew it was Mordecai's turn to pay for the coffee. His stomach growled again. The cookies were only a few inches away. His paws twitched. 'Well, everyone at the grocery store gives out free samples,'.

While the two girls were busy talking to another customer, Rigby quickly snatched two cookies from the table and walked away. As he walked behind Mordecai, he stuffed the cookies in his face and gave a satisfied smile. "Those are goood cookies."

The rest of the shopping trip continued with no problems. Mordecai found everything on the list in only a few minutes, and even managed to find a short line so they got out even faster. "See dude, I told you it wouldn't be that bad," Mordecai said, looking down at Rigby.

"Yeah yeah, come on let's just go already!" Rigby shouted, running ahead. Mordecai just rolled his eyes and followed the raccoon out the door. No sooner had they stepped onto the sidewalk, they heard a shout.

"Hey!" The two jumped and turn around, meeting face to face with the little girls, who were no longer looking so cute and sweet. The two took a couple steps back.

"Uh, h-hey girls," Rigby said, giving them a forced smile.

"You took two of our cookies," the girl with straight black hair and purple eyes said, glaring at Rigby.

"And we don't like to get ripped off," hissed the girl with bright green eyes and short blonde hair.

"Dude, what did you do?" Mordecai whispered, glaring at his friend.

"Relax! I've got this!" Rigby whispered back. He looked back at the girls. "Look, uh, I'm a little short on cash but I promise I'll get you guys next time. Okay? So, are we good?"

The girls gave him a smile. "Of course," said the girl with black hair, "but first, we want you to eat this." She held out a normal looking, chocolate chip cookie. Rigby blinked.

"You're giving me a free cookie?" Rigby asked. The girls nodded their heads. Mordecai raised his eyebrow. Just a minute ago they were mad about getting their cookies stolen, and now they were offering a free one? Something wasn't right about this. But before Mordecai could try and stop Rigby, the raccoon gobbled up the cookie.

"Thanks you guys," he smiled, "That was really- ...what the?" Rigby's legs were starting to disappear in a cloud of smoke. He let out a scream. "Mordecai! Help!" he yelled as his torso began to disappear.

"Rigby!" Mordecai quickly grabbed his friends arm, and in a flash, they both disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

When they opened their eyes, it looked like they were in a dark castle. "Oh, nice use of the transportation cookies, Gretchen," said a girl, in the same uniform as the other two. In fact, there were several of these girl scouts.

"Thank you Edith," replied the black haired girl.

"Uh, hey, we don't want any trouble," Mordecai said, walking up to the girls.

"Yeah," Rigby said, following Mordecai, "So if you could just send us back to our world, we've got a lot of video games to play and-" Mordecai punched the raccoon in the shoulder. "Ow! Dude!"

"Silence!" said the blonde girl, pointing a stick at them, "Or I'll turn you both into frogs!"

"Now now Millie, none of that," said a wise old voice. Mordecai and Rigby sighed. It was nice to know they had one person on their side. "You know if you try a transfiguration spell you'll be out of power for days. You shouldn't waste it on these two." Well, so much for that.

At the top of a tall platform, a figure stepped out of the shadows. She was wearing a purple dress and cloak, with a witches hat and a wrinkled old face. "Aw sic-!" Mordecai quickly shut him up with another punch.

"Um, look uh... ma'am, we didn't mean any harm or whatever," Mordecai explained, "My friend was just being an idiot." Rigby shot him a glare. "But, I'm sure he'll pay you guys back, right Rigby?"

"Um, actually, I don't really have any money with me," Rigby said meekly. Mordecai mentally facepalmed.

"Well, no price must go unpaid," said the elder witch. She looked at Mordecai with hard, cold eyes. "Bluejay. Surely you will pay your friend's debt? It is the only way for you two to leave."

"Fine," Mordecai said, reluctantly pulling out his wallet. 'You better pay me back after this, Rigby.' "How much are the cookies?"

"Well, they were a dollar a piece," replied the witch, "but for you two... thirty five dollars."

"What!" Mordecai and Rigby shouted in unison. "You can't do that!" Mordecai yelled. There was no way he was going to pay thirty five bucks for cookies he didn't even eat.

"Why, he stole from us so of course we had to raise the price. Besides, that's how much you've paid those Pine Scouts over the years," the witch replied. A pink, crystal ball floated over next to her, and images of Mordecai buying Pine Scout cookies. "Filthy wood sprites," she growled, "getting all the sales, leaving us with none!" She then turned sad. "How is a young girl supposed to earn their badges in witch's spells and potions if they don't have the money to keep the troop open!"

The girls all pulled out a handkerchief and cried. Mordecai actually felt a little sorry for them, even if he knew that their crying was faked just so they could look more sympathetic. Rigby on the other hand just wanted to get out of there. Yeah, he felt sorry for the girls, but they still kidnapped him and were charging a totally unfair price.

"So, are you going to pay?" the witch asked, her eyes a little softer now. Mordecai opened his wallet. After coffee and groceries, he only two dollars left, plus a couple quarters.

"Uh, I've got Visa," Mordecai said, with a small hopeful smile.

The witch's eyes turned hard once again. "Cash only," she stated. She began to turn away. "Well, at least we'll be able to use you for transfiguration practice."

"Wait, there has to be something we can do!" Rigby shouted. He didn't know what transfiguration was, but he really didn't want to find out.

"Yeah, can't we do like community service or something?" Mordecai added, "Fix some torn uniforms, help you guys earn a badge, anything!"

The witch stopped, and turned back around. She had a slightly evil smile on her face. Looking around, the girls all shared the same smile. "Well, there is this one badge the girls would like to earn," she stated, "just a couple small spells, and I think you two might be perfect for it."

Mordecai and Rigby both gulped. "Uh, what badge is it?" the bluejay asked.

...

The two friends were returned to the grocery store, but they weren't exactly happy. Both of their faces were covered in make-up. Mordecai's hair was in a ponytail while Rigby's was in pigtails. And, to add irony to injury, they were both dressed in Pine Scout uniforms. "It just had to be the 'Makeover Badge', didn't it?" Mordecai said.

"Shut up," Rigby replied.

"Whatever, let's just get out of here before someone sees us," replied Mordecai. Just then, they heard a familiar voice. "Hey ladies! Nice outfits!" Both friends groaned and then ran off, escaping Muscleman's insults. As soon as they were at Mordecai's house, they washed off the makeup and took off the uniforms.

"Look, let's just agree to never speak of this again," Mordecai said before rubbing the make up off his face.

"Agreed," replied Rigby.

()()()()()()()()()

Too bad he wasn't that good at keeping secrets. Everyone at the table was laughing.

"So that's why I thought I saw a little bit of makeup on your face that day," Margaret said, still giggling.

"You guys just can't stay out of trouble, can you?" Benson said, smiling a little, "Well, at least that's all that happened. It could've been a lot worse."

"No it couldn't have!" Rigby yelled, "Muscleman's gonna give us crap about that for weeks."

"Yeah, at this point, I don't know how it could have gotten any worse," Mordecai agreed. Benson just rolled his eyes.

"Well, at least you helped them earn a badge," Pops said, smiling kindly at them, "Good show." Just then, a grandfather clock chimed and echoed throughout the house. "Oh my, is it three already?"

"Three o'clock?" Mordecai repeated, "Well, I guess we better get going."

"Yeah, us too," Eileen added. Everyone put down their cards. Most of them had a bad or average hand. But when they saw Rigby's hand...

"Rigby!" said Margaret.

"What?" the raccoon asked.

"You had a Full House, dude!" said Mordecai. Huh? Rigby looked down at his cards, and saw that he had three tens and two sevens.

"Wait, that means I win, right?" Rigby asked.

"Yes, you would've won," Benson replied, not sounding too thrilled.

"Yes! I won! In your faces!" Rigby shouted. Eileen congratulated him while the rest just rolled their eyes. As the four friends left the house, Mordecai and Rigby turned back around and looked at Benson and Pops.

"Hey," said Mordecai, "same time two weeks from now?"

"Of course!" Pops smiled, obviously happy to know that his friends were going to visit again soon. They looked at Benson for his approval.

The gumball machine gave them a small smile. "Yeah, why not?" The two friends smiled. "Just try not to get kidnapped by girl scouts before then."

"STOP TALKIIIING!" Everyone laughed.

Having kids and new jobs were great and all, but just because their lives had changed didn't mean they couldn't hang out with each other and act like everything was like it was fifteen years ago.

And while he wouldn't admit it, Benson was looking forward to the next card game.

()()()()()()()

It was nighttime, and Rigby and Eileen were both laying in bed, just about ready to fall asleep. "Hey, Eileen?" Rigby asked.

"Hmm?"

"Were you trying to tell me something, before we went to the park?"

"...No."

"Oh, okay, that's good." Eileen smiled. But as she laid back down, she could sense that her husband was still awake.

"Um, Eileen?" Rigby said again, a little unsure, "Do you think, maybe-?" Rigby didn't get a chance to finish. Eileen turned around and kissed him. When the kiss broke, they looked at each other and smiled, knowing that they were (finally) thinking the same thing.

Maybe Rigby really did get the message. At least, he did eventually.

**Hope you guys liked this chapter. I had a lot of trouble with it, and not just the second half not saving (again!). I started off wanting to just have a chapter filled with dialogue with no real story, just conversation. (Maybe I've been watching too much Lucky Star, lol). But then I thought, why not have Mordecai and Rigby tell a story of their latest weird adventure, because you know they're still happening. I started off wanting to have them find something at the dump and battle that, but I didn't want to rip off "August". So I thought, getting writer's block again. Then I just randomly thought 'Girl scouts'. ... Yeah, why not? So, I just rolled with it. **

**I still feel like this chapter wasn't my best and is a little all over the place, but maybe it's because I only got four hours of sleep. Whatever, I still enjoyed writing it, and I hope you guys enjoyed reading it. We only have about ten to fifteen chapters to go, and about four chapters left of the main story before the vacation story. Btw, a lot of people voted for the beach and I'm kinda leaning towards that. But if you have a different suggestion, feel free to post it. :)**

**Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all sometime next week. (Btw, that Benson liking Asia and Phil Collins part? I didn't make that up, that's legit. Calvin Wong said so. Go to the tvtropes Regular Show characters page, it's there. Okay, have a nice day!)**


	33. Chapter 33

**We're getting close to the end of the school story. After that, we'll have their summer vacation and then that's a wrap! I can't believe how big this story has gotten. Over 200 reviews, and one of my longest stories ever. I can't thank you guys enough. Thanks for enjoying this story as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Here's the next chapter!**

"A sleepover?"

"Yeah!" replied Kimi, smiling at her friends. The five friends were standing at the side of the hall, just a few minutes before the warning bell would ring. "You know how high schoolers always have a bunch of parties when it gets close to the end of the school year? Well, why can't we all have a sleepover?"

"I guess it could be fun," Maddie said, smiling a little. Everyone agreed.

"So, when would it be?" Robbie asked.

Kimi looked down at the floor bashfully. "Um, that all depends on Maddie." Maddie gave her a confused look. "Well, I was hoping we could have it at your house," the blonde asked, "since your parents are really cool, and we'll have more to do at your house."

"Well, my parents probably won't mind," Maddie replied. Her parents never minded when she brought Robbie over, nor any of her other friends. A sleepover wouldn't be that much more trouble. "How about next Friday?"

"Sounds good to me," Greg said.

"S-same here," added Taylor. Robbie added in a 'Hmm-hmm'.

"Great!" Kimi said, obviously excited. Taylor raised her hand slightly.

"D-do you think we should invite M-Mikey?" the fox girl asked. Everyone gave her an unsure look.

"Well, he hasn't been as much of a jerk lately," Robbie commented. Ever since the rumors incident, he had still teased them, but not nearly as much as before. And really, the teasing he did do was just the way Mikey acted.

"He is technically our friend," Maddie added. After all, his parents did know theirs, and the Sorenstein family did show up to every park event and holiday. The three friends still looked unsure.

"I hear if we order six mini pizzas instead of five, we get a free order of breadsticks," Robbie mentioned.

... "I guess we can invite him," Kimi said. Robbie and Taylor agreed.

"Okay, so it's settled," Maddie smiled. To be honest, she was looking forward to this too. She had slept over at Robbie's house and the park house before, but she had never had a whole group of friends sleepover. Thoughts of video games, snacks, movies and staying up all night were already filling her head.

The warning bell chimed, and the five friends parted ways. "This is going to be awesome," Robbie said, his tail twitching in excitement.

"I know," Maddie replied, "We totally have to stay up until midnight."

"Ha, I bet we can stay up even longer than that!" Robbie argued, "Or at least, I could."

Maddie raised an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge? Because I think I can stay up longer than a certain raccoon who always goes to bed around nine."

"That's only because Mom makes me go to bed," Robbie replied, "With her not being there, I can totally stay up past midnight."

"We'll see," challenged Maddie. They both playfully glared at each other. It looked like another one of their little competitions were starting up again, and the sleepover automatically became harder to wait for.

The two weeks went by fairly quickly. You would be surprised with how quickly time flies when you have homework, tests, magical creatures and monsters to battle, sports and hanging out to do. Finally, the big night came.

The living room of the Quintel house was filled with pillows and blankets. Maddie had made two stacks of her favorite movies and video games, and brought out both their XBox 360 and her PS3. On the coffee table were several bowls filled with pretzels, Cheetos, potato chips, M & Ms, mini Reese's peanut butter cups, cookies, and (her favorite) sunflower seeds. Her father had just ordered the pizzas and breadsticks, and they would arrive just a few minutes after her friends arrived.

"Is everything ready?" Margaret asked, walking into the living room and looking at everything.

"Yep, everything's ready," Maddie replied.

"Good," Margaret smiled, "You guys are going to have a lot of fun tonight. Just keep it under control, okay?"

"Don't worry Mom, we'll keep it under control." Margaret smiled in approval.

"Good, now..." She brought out a small container she was hiding behind her back, "I decided you guys would need a little something special so, I picked these up after work." She opened the container.

"Brownies!" Maddie shouted happily. And they looked delicious. "Mom, you're awesome! Thanks!"

"You're welcome, hun," Margaret replied, setting the container on the coffee table, "just don't stuff yourselves."

"We've heard Rigby's story about losing his body enough times to know not to do that," Maddie replied. The two birds laughed, just as the doorbell rang. "Oh, I've got it!" Leaping over the blankets and pillows, the violet bird ran to the door. Opening it, she saw Mikey, Robbie, and Taylor. They were all holding a sleeping bad, and a shopping bag with pajamas, video games, stuffed animals or anything else they wanted to bring.

"Hey guys," she greeted, "Come on in. Where's Greg and Kimi?" Since the two were next door neighbors, they were coming together.

"I guess they're running late," Robbie replied.

"I've g-got their numbers i-in my cell phone if we need t-to call them," Taylor added, holding up her cell phone.

"Okay," Maddie replied. She opened the door a little wider, and the three walked in.

"Alright!" Mikey shouted when he spotted all the snacks.

"Ah!" Maddie said, blocking his view, "not until after pizza." Mikey grumbled, but walked away, setting his sleeping bag near the wall. Robbie sat his sleeping bag next to Mikey since he knew that the boys and girls would have to be separated when it was time to sleep (not that he was planning to sleep anyway).

On the other side of the room, Taylor put her sleeping bag right next to Maddie's. After only a couple minutes, the doorbell rang again. Sure enough, it was Kimi and Greg, but Kimi was holding a big box.

"Sorry we're late," Kimi replied, "but I remembered something at my aunt's house that could be a lot of fun." Kimi opened the box, and everyone saw that it was a classic Nintendo system, complete with a vast collection of games.

"Sweet!" Robbie commented.

With all the guests there, they all agreed on a system and a game (which was one of the games Robbie brought with him), and started playing. "So, we're starting things off with a fighting game?" Greg asked, glad they were able to agree on a classic and fun genre.

"Yep," Robbie said, "and it's one of the best ones. You should see some of the final moves, it's so cool!"

"I call first round!" Mikey shouted, snatching one of the controllers, "If I can't eat, I might as well kick all your butts." Everyone just rolled their eyes.

"Okay, so who wants to challenge him?" Maddie asked, holding up the other controller.

"Um." Everyone turned to look at Taylor who was shyly raising her hand. "I'll play ag-gainst him."

"Really?" Kimi asked before smiling, "Well, great Tay!" Maddie happily handed her the controller.

"Do you know how to play?" Greg asked. Taylor nodded, and then picked her character, which was a two headed warrior woman. Mikey picked a four armed viking with an ax in each hand.

The two were immediately thrown into a fight, startling Taylor a little. Mikey got the first few hits, bringing down Taylor's character's life bar. "Come on Tay, hit him!" Maddie shouted. Holding onto the controller tightly, Taylor pressed a combo of buttons. In a flash her character used force back, a move that most didn't learn about until after two hours of playing. Mikey's character hit the wall of the ring, but quickly got back up.

Both eight graders were pressing buttons furiously, trying to get the other's life bar down first. Mikey swung his axes one after another while Taylor stuck to powerful kicks and dodging. It was neck and neck right up until the last second. But then, Mikey hit a power-up box and earned enough power to perform a finishing move. His character's axes turned into one big golden ax, and he swung right at Taylor. The words 'Game Over' appeared on the screen.

"That was an awesome fight," Greg commented.

"Yeah it was!" Maddie added, "Tay, I didn't know you were so good at video games!"

"Well, I've played them a couple times with my older brother," Taylor admitted, blushing a little.

"For a girl, you're pretty good," Mikey said, "I'm impressed bro- er- sis." Taylor smiled at him, and Mikey realized what he just said, his face now getting hot. He quickly scowled. "Uh, but, you're still sucky at games compared to me! When's that pizza supposed to get here?"

"Calm down, it'll be here in a few minutes," Maddie said, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, so just calm down and hand us the controllers," Robbie added, "We've got next game."

The six friends continued playing the fighting game, each fight being enjoyable and awesome to watch. After what felt like no time at all, the doorbell rang once again, and this time Mordecai answered it. He returned holding six small boxes and one medium sized box.

"Who wants some pi-zza?" the bluejay asked, stretching out the word. The kids all cheered and grabbed the boxes.

"Thanks Dad!" Maddie said before she and her friends started eating. The pizza and breadsticks were gone in a flash, and the snacks quickly started to disappear.

As the night continued, Mordecai and Margaret went upstairs while the kids continued playing. They played all different games from each of the systems. From fighting, to racing, to sports, to 'Guitar Hero', to party games. Everyone was having fun. Even Taylor was getting into it. After a victory at a racing game, she let out a happy cheer, but immediately quieted down, blushing a little.

"Hey, you don't have to be quiet," Maddie said, smiling at her, "my parents aren't asleep or anything."

"Yeah," Robbie added, "so you can be AS LOUD AS YOU WANT!" All the kids, including Taylor, laughed and continued playing through the huge collection of video games.

But even video games can get boring after a while. "Hey, I think I'm ready to do something else," Greg said after two and a half hours of games.

"Yeah, let's watch a movie or something," Kimi suggested.

"Fine by me," Maddie said, turning off the system, "So, what do you guys want to watch? I have a couple-"

"I know what we can watch!" Mikey interrupted, earning a glare from Maddie. The pudgy green boy quickly went over to his bag, and pulled out a dvd with a black and neon blue cover. "Supernatural Activity 2!"

Kimi and Greg looked at the dvd, curious about it. Taylor gulped, not quite sure about the movie. Maddie and Robbie however, looked unimpressed. "A horror movie?" Maddie asked.

"Let me guess, it's about some haunted house or whatever?" Robbie asked.

Mikey scowled. "No, it's all about this lady who has ghost invade her home. But they make chairs fly and control people and stuff like that. The trailers made it look awesome, so I thought I would rent it and bring it over so we can watch it. Unless you guys are scared."

"We've been watching horror movies since we were eight," Robbie replied, "It's all just special effects."

"Besides, we see your godfather all the time," Maddie added, "and he doesn't seem that scary."

"Fives is cool, but these ghosts aren't like fives," Mikey insisted, "and this was all filmed in the lady's house, it really happened! Now, are you gonna watch this or not?"

Maddie and Robbie looked around the room. Kimi and Greg didn't look bothered by it, and while she looked a little worried, Taylor gave them a small nod to let them know it was okay. "Alright, we'll watch it," Maddie replied. After all, they could totally handle it.

()()()()()()()()

Okay, maybe they couldn't handle it.

It was so strange. There wasn't any horrifying monsters or creatures like what they had seen in other movies (and sometimes real life). And yet, the movie still made the kids feel nervous, as if something at any moment was going to jump out and do who knows what.

Kimi was clutching her stuffed animal tightly while Greg was holding onto his sleeping bag for dear life. Taylor whimpered and hid her face behind her pillow. Maddie, Robbie and Mikey (who were all sitting the closest to the tv) all swallowed as the woman walked down the hall. They knew it was just a movie and yet...

With a frightened yelp, the woman dropped to the floor. The kids gasped. "Is she dead!" the man holding the camera asked. He quickly went around to the other side of the woman, her eyes closed. "Jessica? Jessi-"

The woman's eyes opened, looking practically soulless. At that moment, Margaret walked into the room. "Hey," was all she could get out before all six kids started screaming bloody murder. One of them (she thought maybe Mikey) shouted "Please don't kill me!"

"Whoa whoa, hey! Guys, it's just me!" Margaret yelled, turning on the lights. The kids all quickly calmed down. Mordecai quickly joined Margaret by the doorway.

"What's going on?" he asked. He then glanced at the tv. "Whoa, Supernatural Activity? That one's intense even for me."

Margaret looked at the kids, and they all shrunk a little. "Maddie, you know you have to ask us before you watch movies like this and we'll decide if it's okay. So, who brought this?" she asked.

"Mikey did," Robbie mumbled, getting Mikey to glare at him.

"I'm sorry Mom, we'll take it out," said Maddie, trying to make sure her sleepover didn't end early. The scarlet bird looked at her daughter, and then came to a decision.

"Alright, you can use the tv the rest of the sleepover, but we're taking that dvd with us," said Margaret, "and starting tomorrow, no tv. Okay Maddie?"

"Okay," Maddie mumbled. She heard Mikey's snickers.

"Hey, don't think you're off the hook, Dude," Mordecai said, getting Mikey's attention.

"We'll be talking to your parents tomorrow, Micheal," said Margaret. Mikey groaned but didn't bother arguing. Maddie handed her mother the dvd, and the two adult birds left the room. The living room was now quiet and slightly awkward.

"So..." said Robbie, obviously asking someone for ideas.

"I brought a couple comedies," Kimi spoke up. Everyone nodded in agreement. A comedy sounded good right about now. Sure enough, it was just the thing to get the sleepover started up again. Within the first ten minutes of the movie, all six kids were laughing and enjoying it.

When the movie ended, it was twelve thirty, and sleep was starting to kick in. It started with one yawn, no one really remembered who yawned, but it started with just one. Pretty soon, all the kids were yawning.

"So, *yawn* what should we do now, guys?" Maddie asked.

"I'm too tired to think of anything," replied Kimi.

"Same here," Greg replied. They looked over at Taylor (who looked half asleep), and Mikey (who was slouched over and nearly snoring).

"Maybe we should just take a small nap, and then we'll be ready to stay up the rest of the night," Robbie suggested before yawning again.

"What, giving up already?" Maddie asked with a tired smirk.

"No, I said a nap, not 'go to bed'," Robbie replied.

"Whatever, let's just lay down," said Greg, crawling over to his sleeping bag. Going to separate sides of the room, the six kids laid down inside their sleeping bags. The lights were off, and the room was quiet. And yet, every kid knew the others were still awake.

"Hey, Maddie?" Robbie whispered.

"You don't have to whisper, dude," Maddie replied, "We're all still awake. What is it?"

"Don't fall asleep."

"Ha ha," Maddie replied dryly. Everyone giggled.

"Hey guys, this was an awesome sleepover," Kimi said, her tone letting everyone know she was smiling even though they couldn't see it.

"Yeah, what's better than video games and movies?" Greg asked, "Oh, and all those awesome snacks!"

"Yeah, they were pretty great," Mikey agreed, rubbing his stomach.

"You would know, you ate nearly all of them," Robbie retorted.

"I can't help it if I like good food," Mikey replied defensively.

"Whatever dude," Robbie replied, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, e-everyone?" Taylor said quietly, "We can do this again, r-right? Even after M-Mikey and I g-go to high sc-chool?"

"That's right, you guys are going to be freshmen at high school next year," said Maddie.

"It's not going to be the same without you guys," Robbie said.

"Yeah, we'll have an extra seat at our table," Kimi said, referring to the fox girl.

"And we won't have anyone to tease us everyday," Greg added, obviously referring to Mikey.

"Oh, don't worry, I'll still tease you guys whenever I see you," Mikey insisted, smirking, "and in two years, you guys will be freshmen, I'll get to tease you guys all over again."

"Great," Kimi replied sarcastically.

"So we're all going to still h-hang out even after graduation?" Taylor asked.

"Of course, Tay," Maddie replied. She knew how much they meant to Taylor, especially after that necklace incident. They weren't going to let different schools separate them.

"Who says high schoolers and middle schoolers can't hang out together?" Robbie asked.

"Dude, if they do hang out, everyone will think they're super la-" Mikey was silenced with a pillow to the face. "Hey!" Everyone laughed.

As the six friends continued talking, they began to bring up memories from the past year. "I can't believe the year went by so fast," Maddie commented.

"Yeah, I would've thought my first year of middle school would take forever," Kimi added.

"Huh, I guess time flies faster when you get older," Greg thought.

"Or maybe we entered some weird time paradox where time is faster or something like that," Robbie suggestion.

"... Dude, lay off the sci-fi books," Greg replied. Everyone laughed again. But they noticed that one laugh was missing. After a few moments of silence, a low snore could be heard all around the room.

"I wonder who that could be?" Maddie asked sarcastically, looking at the snoring lump under Mikey's blanket.

"Actually, that's probably the best idea he's had all night," Greg said, rolling over to his side. They could all feel the energy in the room draining. Kimi and Taylor quickly followed Mikey and Greg's example, falling asleep almost instantly. Then again, it was almost one in the morning, so who could blame them?

"You wanna call it a draw?" Maddie asked before giving another yawn.

"No, but I don't think I can stay up any longer," Robbie replied, "so I guess you got lucky."

The violet bird giggled, and slowly settled into her sleeping bag, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her. "Goodnight Maddie," she heard from across the room.

"Goodnight Robbie," Maddie replied before closing her eyes.

(()(()()()()()()()

"Okay guys, time to get up. It's like ten in the morning and we kinda need our living room back." Maddie stirred as she heard her father's voice. Almost instantly, she was blinded by the bright light.

Once it faded, she saw that her friends were slowly getting up. "Aw come on, Mordecai," Robbie mumbled, "just five more minutes." The kids all mumbled in agreement and laid back down.

"O-kay," Mordecai said nonchalantly, "but you're gonna miss out on an awesome breakfast."

"And it's almost done," Margaret added from the kitchen, "toast, bacon, waffles, strawberries and Pop Tarts!" The kids all shot up, suddenly feeling more awake and a lot more hungry. Quickly, they all raced to the kitchen. Margaret smirked. 'Good thing I'm a good cook,' she thought, suddenly thankful for her experience at the coffee shop during the morning rush.

As soon as breakfast was done, all the kids got dressed and their parents arrived to pick them up. By lunchtime, everyone had gone home. The three birds were sitting at the table eating their lunch, but Maddie wasn't eating much.

"What's wrong Maddie?" Margaret asked.

"Yeah, are you still tired or something?" Mordecai asked.

"No, I was just thinking," Maddie replied, "Do guys ever miss being kids and doing kid stuff like sleepovers and stuff like that?"

"Well, yeah kinda," Mordecai answered, "but sleepovers were never that much fun for me anyway. I had to make sure to fall asleep after Rigby otherwise he would draw on my face." The girls laughed at that. "But, as for the 'kid' stuff, I don't think anyone completely grows up."

Maddie gave her father a curious look. "I mean, just look at me and Rigby. We still like doing things like playing video games and reading comics."

"And Eileen and I still like movies and music from when we were kids," Margaret added.

Maddie smiled. "I guess you have a point. We were just talking last night about how next year Mikey and Taylor are going to the high school, and a lot of things are going to change."

"Maybe a little," Margaret replied, "but I don't think you have to worry about your life changing that much."

"Yeah, trust me Maddie," said Mordecai, "Once you find a group of friends, it's pretty hard to get away from them. And trust me, there's been times I've tried." Maddie giggled again.

"Thanks guys," she smiled. There were a lot of perks to growing up, as well as worries, but she no longer thought losing friends was one of those worries. With that, Maddie happily started to eat her lunch.

**Another chapter done and done! Sorry if this one wasn't exciting. I just wanted to write a chapter about the kids doing kid stuff, as well as dealing with things some kids have to deal with. And I should know, I have a best friend who's a year ahead of me and is going to college next year, so I know what it's like. I also read reviews from people wanting the kids and the parents to have a few more hurt/comfort moments (and those are really sweet to write). But if you're not into this stuff, next chapter we'll be back to the 'irregular' adventures. I'll be taking a suggestion Prisma-Roses suggested in chapter 11.**

**(Sweatdrops) Yeah, your suggestion seemed neat but I wasn't quite sure how to write it. But I've been thinking about it lately and I think I've figured out a way to write it. So, you can look forward to that in the next chapter. Please review, and I'll see you all next time! :D **


	34. Chapter 34

**Special thanks to Prisma-Roses for this suggestion! Thanks! Hope you all enjoy the chapter! **

There was only two weeks left of school, and you could definitely tell. There was less and less homework, kids were getting more wild, and the teachers kept looking at the calenders more and more, maybe even being more excited than the kids.

"I wonder if Skips is looking forward to summer vacation," Maddie wondered as the two friends walked down the hall.

"Well, it won't be much of a vacation," Robbie replied, "He'll have to work at the park again."

"Yeah, but Skips is so strong and fast, all that work seems like nothing, and I bet it's easier than dealing with a ton of kids everyday," Maddie replied, "besides, he'll have two weeks off when we all go on vacation."

The warning bell rang, and the two quickened their pace. As soon as they went in the classroom, they noticed that Skips was missing. 'That's strange,' they thought. Usually the yeti was always there standing at the front of the classroom with a new lesson already written on the board. Still wondering about it, they sat down and waited for Skips to show up. The final bell rang, and the room instantly filled with curious and confused chatter.

"Where is he?" Maddie asked.

"I don't know, do you think something happened?" Robbie asked.

"Oh don't worry, Ol' Skips will be fine," said a voice, sending a chill up their spines. It couldn't be...

The lights dimmed and wind blew papers off the desks. There was a bright flash of green, and once it dimmed, the kids could see a figure. He was pale, almost like a skeleton! He was wearing sunglasses, black pants, a dark grey shirt and jacket and had a head of long brown hair. He smiled at the class.

"Death," Maddie and Robbie stated in unison, glaring at the man.

"'Ello children," Death said casually, ignoring the frightened faces, "I'm sure you're wondering where your teacher is. Let's just say we made a deal and he had some business of mine to take care of. Until then, I will be your substitute. Now, any questions?"

Maddie and Robbie both raised their hands. "Hmm, how 'bout the little birdie in the back?"

"Yeah, what exactly _is _this business Skips had to take care of for you?" Maddie asked, glaring at the 'substitute'.

Death glared right back. "'Aven't you ever heard of 'N.O.B'? None of your business!" His sharp change in tone made some of the kids flinch, but Maddie and Robbie stayed calm. "Now, no further questions." He smiled once again. "Let's get on with class, shall we?"

"Why would he be here?" Robbie whispered, "There's no way Skips would let him do this, right?"

"No way, of course not," Maddie whispered back, "he's probably being forced to let Death do this. And you can bet Death isn't going to tell us where Skips is... _unless _we make him tell us."

Robbie smirked. "So what's your plan?"

"Well, he is a substitute teacher after all," Maddie grinned. Both kids had remembered hearing stories about how Rigby and sometimes Mordecai dealt with teachers, both normal and substitute. They were both smart enough not to try to these tricks with their own teachers, but they felt that in this case, they could definitely make an exception.

After agreeing on a battle strategy, the two friends faced towards the front of the class, smiling and mentally counting down the seconds until their plan was put into action.

Death was facing away from the students, writing something on the board. Just as he finished writing the second word, he felt something small hit him in the back of the head. "Eh?" He looked at the class, but they all looked innocent. Turning back, he felt two more small balls hit his head, one getting caught in his hair. He ran his bony figures through it, and caught a small paper ball. He glared at the class, but again, they all looked perfectly innocent. "Fine, if you want to play it like that," he mumbled, picking up the eraser. He erased what he had written on the board, and turned to face the class.

"Alright, why don't we start with something easy, it is the end of the school year after all," Death said in his accent (the kids weren't really sure if it was British or Australian), "How about you write me a three page paper on what you all learned in the past year." A few brave kids groaned, but were quickly silenced by one look from Death. "You all can choose to do it if you want, but just so you know, if you don't do it you'll have to deal with me and," he chuckled a little, "Well, I'm sure you all know what that means. Now. You were writing?"

The kids all quickly got out their notebooks and began writing. All except for Maddie and Robbie. "Is their a problem?" Death asked them.

"Actually, I have a question," Maddie replied.

"Oh really?" asked Death, "What is it?"

"Why do we have to write an essay?" the young bird asked.

"Why? Because you need to do schoolwork."

"Why?"

Death blinked. "Because, because it's class time and you need to work."

"Why?"

Now he was getting angry. "Because I said so you little brat!"

"Why?"

As Maddie and Death continued to argue, Robbie started digging around in his bag for something to throw. At the bottom of his bag next to a book he was reading, Robbie found a nice round orange. 'Perfect', he thought. Taking aim, the raccoon rolled the orange towards the small trashcan by Skips' desk.

"Because-!" When he heard the sound of the trashcan being knocked over, he looked away, and then looked back towards the two kids. Both of them gave Death an innocent smile. "Hmm," he said, still a little suspicious. The tall skeleton of a man walked over to the desk, and bent down to pick up the trash.

"Ready?" Robbie asked, pulling out of his phone. Maddie just smiled at him. The raccoon pressed a button, and the sound of a fart echoed through the room. Death immediately stood up in surprise. Almost everyone in the class quietly giggled.

"It may be a little immature, but it's still a classic," Maddie commented quietly.

Death growled, but then smiled. "Ha, I've guess we've got a couple of clowns in 'ere, eh class? Why don't we put the spotlight on them for a while." He looked right at the two best friends. "Madeline. Robert. If you please?"

Maddie and Robbie both glanced at each other. Neither one knew what Death had in mind, but it looked like they were about to find out. The two quietly stood up and walked to the front of the room.

"You two are pretty clever, eh?" Death asked, walking in front of them, "Skips said you were." At the mention of their friend and teacher, both kids regained their nerve and glared at Death. "Well, let's just see how clever you are."

There was another bright flash, and a small cage appeared in his hands. Both friends gasped at the creature inside the cage. It looked like a cross between a scorpion, crab, and centipede. A few kids in the class let out a shriek. "Aw, you all don't like my pet? She's harmless, for those 'oo know 'ow to tame her."

He set the cage on the floor, and a few kids moved their desks back. "For a pop quiz, you will all list five facts about this creature. But for Madeline and Robert here, they will have to do it live, before the creature gets near them."

"Wait what?" the two said in unison.

"Is that a problem?" Death asked, a certain gleam in his eyes. They could have bailed out, apologized and sat back down in their seats, knowing they would be safe. But then, if Skips was in danger, what would happen to him?

"I'm in," Maddie stated.

"Same here," Robbie added.

"Very well," Death said, "You may... begin!" Death lifted the caged door, and the creature crawled out. It's tiny feet were so sharp, they made a tapping sound loud and clear in a room of screaming kids.

"Okay, five facts, five facts," Robbie said, thinking back to previous classes, "Do you know any?"

"Me? I don't even know what this thing is called!" Maddie shouted back, "I don't remember Skips teaching anything about it, not even about something that looks like it!"

"Better hurry, kiddies," Death smirked. The creature was slightly distracted by all the other kids in the class, but was quickly regaining focus and crawling towards the young bird and raccoon.

"Uh, uh, oh come on! We have to know something about it!" Robbie shouted.

"Uh, well, it's part bug. Centipedes are bugs, right?" Maddie asked.

"No, I read that they're arthropods," Robbie replied, "So I guess it's part arthropod and part arachnid." At that moment, the creature stopped moving, and Death sat up just a little bit straighter.

"Wait, I think we've got something here," Maddie smiled, "The creature is red and brown colored." The creature let out what sounded like a whine, and took a couple steps back.

Robbie grinned. "The creature has 108 legs. It also has claws." The creature whined again, and took a few more steps back.

"It's small, about the same size as a puppy!" Maddie shouted.

"And, this particular creature belongs to Death. That's five facts!" Robbie shouted happily. The creature shrieked and ran back into it's cage, the door slamming shut behind it. The kids cheered, but quieted down when Death gave them a look.

"So, You say those are five facts?" Death asked them.

"You never specified what kind of facts," Maddie reminded him.

"And technically, observations are facts, as long as they're true," Robbie added. Both kids smiled proudly at the pale man, who did not look too happy. He mumbled something and then turned back to the class.

"Well class, it looks like we've run out of time for the day," Death stated. Everyone looked at him, confused. It couldn't be the end of class already. But sure enough, the bell rang.

"I thought it was only like a little after two thirty," Robbie said, looking at the clock that now read three fifteen.

"I think Death wants to 'talk to us after class', and he doesn't want to wait," Maddie stated, feeling determined and a bit worried at the same time.

"You are all dismissed, _except _for you two," Death said, pointing at the two friends but not looking at them. The children quickly filed out of the room, a few of them wishing the two good luck. Death walked over to Skips' desk and Maddie and Robbie stood in front of it.

"Well well, Madeline and Robert," Death said, picking the orange off the floor. It instantly turned rotten in his hand, but Death took a small bite of it anyway. The kids grimaced at the sight. "I guess you two aren't the goody two shoes I thought you were." He tossed the rotten piece of fruit in the trash. "But, I am a reasonable undead man, so I will give you one chance to explain your actions."

"We want you to tell us what you're making Skips do and where he is," Maddie replied.

"We also want you to get the heck out of here," Robbie added, glaring at the pale man.

Death put his hand to where his heart would be. "Ah, it's true what they say," he said, pretending to be wounded, "Children are cruel!"

"We're serious, Death," Maddie said, crossing her arms, not looking too amused.

Death stopped and glared at them. "Alright alright, fine, I'll tell you what you need to know. If! You both play a little game with me."

"Fine," Robbie replied with Maddie nodding in agreement.

He looked at them, his expression unreadable. "Are you two sure you want to play this game? Because I assure you..." His glasses moved down, and they could see his eyes. "I hardly ever lose."

His eyes were soulless and black, the darkest black they had ever seen. Despite never being terrified of Death now, they felt it at that moment. It had even felt like their hearts had stopped. Looking away from Death, they looked at each other, silently asking each other what they wanted to do.

Maddie looked at Robbie with worry, but then with determination, silently telling him that she would play the game, alone if she had to, if he wanted her to. But Robbie silently told her that if she was playing, so was he. He reflected her determination, along with a "Hmm, hmm."

They looked back up at Death. "We'll play," they said in unison.

"Alright," Death said with a smile, "Hope you kiddies have fun." Without doing any hand-gestures or anything at all, they were all instantly transported, leaving a green flash and a cloud of smoke behind.

()()()()()()()()

"Welcome to what I'd like to call just for you two, Detention."

The kids looked around. It looked like they were in one big room, no doors or windows to be seen. It was painted a pale green, almost grey, and it was huge. "What are we going to do here?" Maddie asked.

"Well, I have so many pets, and I figured you would want to meet one more of them," Death said with a casual smile. A black painted door appeared out of nowhere. "Your task is to find a way out of here. If you can't well, at least you'll plenty of exercise in here, until he catches you." With that, Death opened the door, "Good luck!" he called before shutting the door. It disappeared behind him, leaving the two friends in the empty room.

"I wonder what his pet is?" Maddie asked.

"Well, it's probably some weird creature from the underworld," Robbie replied, thinking, "It could be a griffon, or a dragon. Or maybe it's Cerberus, the three headed dog."

"Well, somebody's been reading their mythology lately," Maddie smiled.

"They were new books at the library," Robbie replied, "Mom wanted me to take a look at them to see if they would be interesting to order for the next book fair. It was either that or read the newest 'Twilight' graphic novel. I have no regrets."

They both laughed a little. "Hey, if there's no doors and Death's not here to summon it, where's this thing going to come from?" Maddie asked.

"Well, maybe there's a door in the ceil-" Robbie glanced up, and his eyes widened, his tail dropping to the floor in shock. "Ceil, ceil, ceil..."

"Robbie, what's wrong with you?" Maddie asked. The raccoon pointed upwards, and the bird looked up. To say she was shocked would've been the understatement of the year.

Grabbing onto the ceiling, there was a huge creature. It had an octopus head, a lion's body, and two giant bat wings. It glared at the kids, and let out a mighty roar. This was what most people would call, a Cthulhu.

"What. The actual. H!" Maddie squeaked. The Cthulhu let go of the ceiling, and dove towards the ground, right at Maddie and Robbie.

"Run!" Robbie yelled, dropping to all fours. They both ran and just barely missed Cthulhu's giant paw that could have easily squished them both. But the great force of the fall made the floor shake, making the two friends fall to the floor.

Getting a better look at the creature, it looked about twenty to thirty feet tall, and it looked strong enough to destroy them in one swift move. Not wasting anymore time, the two got back up and ran towards a wall they could see about twenty feet away.

"There has to be a door, there has to be a door!" Robbie shouted, almost praying for there to be one. They could hear Cthulhu's roar in the background. Picking up their pace, the kids made it to the wall and quickly started feeling around for a secret door.

"Come on, come on!" Maddie yelled, "I mean, he wouldn't just leave us without a way out, would he!"

"Dude, his name is _DEATH,_", Robbie shouted, "so it wouldn't surprise me!"

"I could do without the sarcasm, Robbie," Maddie scowled, "Just shut up and help me find a way out!"

"I am!" Robbie shouted back as he continued pushing random places on the wall, hoping to trigger something. The loud thuds of the creatures footsteps and the echo of it's mighty roar were getting closer. The kids began to panic, and desperately hit the wall.

"It's no use!" Maddie shouted, "We need to try to find another place to search!"

"Yeah, but first we need to deal with this thing!" Robbie reminded his friend. They both turned around and saw that they were nearly face-to-face with the creature, it was only a few feet away. It stared them down, a low growl emitting from it's throat. The two kids gulped, and stared back, wondering what it would do and how they could defend against it. One of the tentacles on his face (which almost looked like a beard) stretched out towards the kids.

What was it going to do to them? Was it going to eat them? Crush them? Both? Whatever it was going to do, they had to get out of there! But how? As the long slimy tentacle got closer, Maddie decided to do the one thing that her dad told her to do if she was ever in a bad situation with a jerk of a guy (once she was allowed to date). She brought her arm back, and punched the tip of the tentacle.

Cthulhu pulled it back quickly. But, instead of being angered or enraged, it blinked in surprise, looking at the kids. They blinked back and, after staying frozen for a moment, quickly ran away from the creature going towards the opposite way. Cthulhu roared and started to turn around.

"Dude, did you just punch Cthulhu?" Robbie asked as they ran.

"Yeah," Maddie replied, just as surprised as Robbie.

"...Cool. So, what's the rest of your plan?"

"Honestly, I didn't think that would work," Maddie replied, "I guess just to find a way out of here."

"If we could find how it got in here, then we could..." Robbie stopped. They first spotted the Cthulhu on the ceiling, so logically... The raccoon looked up and saw that right in the center of the ceiling was a door, with two sets of handles next to it to hold on to. "Maddie, look!"

Maddie looked up, and smiled. "Nice job dude! And I think I have a way to get up there!" She stopped and turned around. "Hey big guy! We're right here!" Robbie looked at his friend in disbelief. "Just trust me," she said, not providing much of a case. But nevertheless, Robbie joined in, and the Cthulhu was getting closer and closer.

"When I say so, drop to the floor, but get ready to grab!" Maddie said.

"Grab what?" Robbie asked.

"His tail, what else?" Maddie replied. The Cthulhu was nearly right on top of them. "Now!" The two dropped to the floor. Since it was so big, it was hard for it to slow down. Thanks to it's wings, Cthulhu lifted a feet or two off the ground and flew over the kids, narrowly missing them. As soon as they knew they were in the clear, they picked themselves off the floor and grabbed onto the tail.

Roaring, Cthulhu threw his tail up and down, trying to get the kids off. "Don't let go!" Maddie shouted, keeping a tight grip on the creatures scales.

"When do I let go!" Robbie shouted.

"Hold on!" Maddie looked up, and saw that they were right below the door. Cthulhu threw his tail on the ground. They knew what was coming next. "Get ready..." The creature started to hurl it's tail up. "Now!"

Just as the throw finished, the kids let go and flew nearly a hundred feet up in the air. Stretching out her arms, Maddie grabbed onto the first set of handles. Grabbing Robbie's hand, she lifted towards the second set of handles. Robbie grabbed the handles, and they both looked down at the creature. It looked furious now.

"Let's go! Let's go!" Maddie yelled. She grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. But the door remained shut. "Locked!"

"What!" Robbie shouted. Now what were they going to do! Robbie looked down at the creature. It looked ready to fly towards them, and if it managed to knock them off the ceiling, it wouldn't be a pretty end. "Okay, keep holding the doorknob, and twist it when I say so!"

Holding on with one hand on the handle, Robbie used one of the claws on his other hand and stuck it in the keyhole underneath the doorknob. Cthulhu jumped off the floor and flew towards the kids, roaring with fury.

"Come on, come on!" Robbie said, getting frustrated with the lock. Just then, he heard a 'click'. "Okay, open the door!" Maddie turned the knob and the door flew opened upward. Quickly, they climbed through the hole in the ceiling, and slammed the door shut just before the creature hit the ceiling.

They were now in a black painted room with purple carpeting, an old grey couch, a couple guitars and a coffee table, with a few heavy metal rock posters on the walls. Panting heavily, the two kids collapsed on the floor. "That, was, insane!" Robbie said.

"I know, dude," Maddie replied, "I know."

As they caught their breath, they heard a noise. A slow clapping. They turned and saw that Death was the one who was clapping. He smiled at them, wearing his usual attire of old jeans and a leather jacket. "Well well kiddies, I'm impressed. Not everyone can escape Cthulhu."

The two kids glared at him, not just because they didn't like him, but because he just made them escape from a freaking Cthulhu! "Alright Death," said Maddie, "we made a deal. Now tell us, where's Skips!"

"Okay okay, calm down," Death said, no longer looking impressed, "If you really want to know, he's right behind you."

"Huh?" The two kids turned around, and saw the yeti standing behind them. "Skips!" They both quickly got up and hugged their friend and teacher.

"Hey kids," Skips replied, smiling at the two.

"Skips, Death said he was our substitute!" Maddie told him.

"Yeah! And he tried to make us write an essay, and he released this weird scorpion-crab-centipede thing on us, and-!" Robbie continued, but Skips stopped the two from explaining any further.

"I know," Skips said. The kids blinked in surprise.

"You knew?" Maddie repeated. The yeti nodded. "But, if you knew then why didn't you do anything?"

"Because, he was still doing a little job for me," Death answered, "Death always has to keep his promises, but he expects others to do the same. And, since he was busy, I decided to save him the trouble of calling a sub and do the job myself."

"I don't believe it!" Robbie said, glaring at Death again.

"Yeah," Maddie said, "you guys are enemies, why would you be making bets and deals? And why would Skips willingly let you be a substitute teacher for him!"

"First off, we're not really enemies," Death corrected with a small smirk, "We're more like rivals, we are both immortal after all," he then added, mumbling under his breath, "For now."

"Hey, whatever makes you sleep at night," Skips said, obviously not agreeing that they weren't enemies, "and I only let him be my sub because he insisted, he wanted to test you guys." He then smiled. "And I knew you guys could handle it."

"Wait, you wanted to test us?" Maddie asked, "why didn't you choose someone else in our class, or our dads, they've probably been through more crazy things then either of us," referring to her and Robbie.

"Mortals are so plain and alike," Death replied, looking bored, "Children, even more so. Phase after phase, fad after fad, decade after decade. But you two. Well, I've seen a lot of kids before, but you two were the first who didn't pi-" Skips cleared his throat. "Fine, _wet _themselves with fear after seeing me. You two are nowhere near normal, and you wouldn't believe how thankful I am for that. So, I wanted to see exactly what you two were capable of. I think you were a little curious too, eh Skippy?"

"Even if I was, I didn't think you were going to send Cthulhu after them," Skips replied, obviously not too happy about that.

"Oh come on, Ol' Skippy," Death said, "It wasn't like I was going to let 'em get killed." Skips gave him a look. "Besides, that old thing is nothing more than a tomcat anymore."

"You mean it wasn't when I fought it?" Skips asked with a small smirk.

"Oh haha, Skips finally got a sense of humor," Death said dryly, "Alright, well, I've seen all I need to see. Hope to see you soon, Skippy. You know I'm still waiting to take your immortal soul."

"Oh yeah, and I can't wait for that visit," Skips replied sarcastically. With a flash of light and a cloud of smoke, Skips and the kids were gone.

In a flash, they were back at the school. "So, you thought we were tough and smart enough to handle Death?" Maddie asked Skips.

"Well, maybe," Skips replied.

"...That's actually a pretty cool compliment," Robbie said as he and Maddie smiled up at Skips, and Skips smiled back.

The yeti then glanced up at the clock. "It's almost four thirty, you two better get going. I'll drive ya to your house," said Skips. The kids happily accepted.

As they walked out to the parking lot towards Skips' van, they couldn't help but think of all the crazy things they had done that year just at school. If this was what it was like in their first year of Middle School, what would they have to deal with in High School?

"Dude," said Robbie as he climbed into the back row of seats, "if we ever fight Cthulhu again, I call the right to punch him first, you already got to punch him. And there's no way I'm going to let you be the only one able to say 'I punched Cthulhu'."

Maddie laughed. "Just get in the car," she said, pushing him in. Hopefully they wouldn't have to fight a thing like that for a very long time.

**So yeah, haven't had Skips or a monster battle in a while, and that's something they do bi-weekly on the show, so I guess I haven't been following the style of the original. Originally I was going to make this chapter mostly humor based, since when she suggested the idea, Prisma-Roses thought it would be a funny idea. So, I just started off writing the kids doing normal teacher pranks. But then, I got to thinking 'What if Death decided to have the kids do a sort of test as punishment for the pranks?', and we all know Death would totally have access to all those cool demon monsters. And then I randomly thought of Cthulhu.**

**So... yeah. **

**And yeah, this is the last chapter of the School Story. The rest of the story will be focused on their summer vacation trip with their whole family. And yes, during those chapters I will include Rigby and Eileen and/or Robbie, and there will be some hurt/comfort parts of the story so you can stop requesting them. There will also be parts focusing on both the original Regular Show characters, and parts focusing on the kids. There will be humor, action, adventure and romance (but I'm not going to say between which characters just yet). So yeah, it should be a lot of fun. I can't wait to get started on it! :D **

**This chapter was a lot of fun to write. I worked on it for like five hours straight (anyone got any eyedrops?), but it was totally worth it. So, I hope you guys liked it. Please review! (btw, the anonymous reviews are open again. Sorry I forgot I had turned them off for a day.) See you next time! **


	35. Chapter 35

The gumball machine wiped the sweat off his glass forehead for the third time in the past fifteen minutes. It was only the beginning of the summer season and the temperature was already beginning to climb. It was too early to turn on the air conditioning, so Benson's only relief was the cool breeze that would come from one of the random fans in the house.

Thankfully he was almost done with the bills for that month. Just a few more quick calculations and he could spend the rest of the day relaxing.

"Hello, My Good Man," Benson heard someone greet from behind him.

"Hey Pops," he replied in a tired but still friendly tone.

"Whatcha doin'?" The lolliman asked. Benson smiled. He must've been watching cartoons again.

"Just the bills," Benson replied, "I'm almost done."

"Wonderful," Pops smiled. Benson noticed that the lolliman had several papers and magazines in his arms.

"Looks like you've been doing some work too," Benson commented.

"Oh yes! Skips and I have been looking through travel guides all morning, and I believe I have found some great vacation sights."

The yearly summer vacation. How could Benson forget? After waiting a few years for the kids to be old enough to travel, Pops started planning a two week long vacation trip for the entire family. It was just another way for the park family to get together and have fun. They had already gone to Mount Rushmore, New York City, and California to go to Disney Land and Hollywood (although, that particular vacation was one Benson wouldn't mind forgetting).

The trips were tiring, long, sometimes annoying, and always had at least one disaster during them (Although, what would you expect when traveling with Mordecai and Rigby?), but looking back at them always put a smile on Benson's face.

"Alright, so what are the places you picked?" Benson asked. Sitting down, Pops placed the magazines on the table, careful not to knock off any of Benson's papers. He pulled out the first magazine and showed it to his friend. The gumball machine looked at the cover in surprise. "Shanghai? As in, China?"

"Yes!" Pops replied happily, "Just look at how big and bright the city is! There's plenty of culture, but there's some wildlife as well. We could even go to a Chinese Opera! Good show!"

"Uh, Pops," Benson started to say, trying to let the lolliman down gently, "I really don't think Shanghai would be a good place to go on vacation." Pops gave him a curious look. "It just seems a little expensive, and a little too far away. Plus, I don't really think we should travel outside of the country."

Or rather, he didn't feel comfortable letting Mordecai and Rigby outside of the country. He definitely didn't need an international incident caused by those two.

"Oh," said Pops, looking a little disappointed for a moment, but then looking happy again, "Well, there's more where that came from!" Before going onto the next vacation spot, he tossed out the magazines labeled 'Australia', 'Italy', and 'Japan'.

"New Orleans?" Benson asked, looking at the next cover.

"I remember traveling there once with Papa," Pops said, "It was for a business trip of his, but we were allowed to stay for the parade. It was so big and filled with people in masquerade masks! It could be so much fun!"

"You probably went there during Mardi Gras," Benson replied, "Which was a couple months ago. Sorry Pops."

Pops pouted once again, but then quickly went onto the next magazine. Pops suggested places like Las Vegas and Yellowstone, and even Puerto Rico. But all those places just didn't seem right. They were too big, or too far away, or didn't have stuff for the kids, or were too expensive.

Pops sighed. Perhaps they had already went to all the great vacation spots. "I'm sorry Pops," Benson said once they had gone through all the magazines, "I didn't mean to bring you down. Maybe you should have had Skips or someone else help you pick this year's vacation spot.

"Oh, it's quite alright, My good man," Pops said with a small smile, "This isn't just my vacation. It's all of ours, and I value your opinion on it." Benson smiled back at him. "Speaking of which, where would you like to go Benson?"

"Me?" Benson asked. Pops nodded. Benson hadn't really thought about it that much. But closing his eyes, he only pictured one place. "Well, I guess it would be just staying at the beach for a couple weeks. I mean, it would be relaxing, and just nice. But we-."

Pops stopped the gumball machine right there. He scooped up his magazines and said, "I will meet you back in here in half an hour, my good man. I've got some research to do!" With that, he quickly ran out of the room.

"Pops, wait!" Benson shouted, but the lolliman was already gone. He sighed, and looked back at his papers. 'I hope he doesn't wear himself out,' he thought as he turned his calculator back on.

After finishing the bills, Benson decided to treat himself to a cold glass of lemonade. After getting his drink, he heard footsteps run down the stairs.

"I've found it!" Pops said happily, the house laptop (which had replaced their old computer a couple years ago) in his hands. Setting it down on the table, Pops brought up the page.

It looked like a beach in California, only it was in one of the smaller cities. It was also a slightly bigger beach, with several beach houses people could rent. Next to the beach, their was a long pier with plenty of shops and restaurants. At the end of the pier, there was a small amusement park. Inside the city itself, there were no big skyscrapers or crowded roads. There were just more stores, a few houses and apartments, and a go-kart track (which the kids would definitely enjoy).

"Wow Pops," Benson said smiling, "This looks great."

"I've already found the perfect beach house," Pops said, "Do I have your approval, manager?"

Benson chuckled a little. "Yeah, sure! Let's do it!" With that, Pops didn't hesitate to wrap Benson up in a big hug.

"Good show! Jolly good show!" he shouted gleefully.

"Okay, okay," Benson said, calming the lolliman down a little, "I'll fill out the rent application, and then I'll call up everyone and tell them the plans."

"Great!" Pops said, approving the plan. To celebrate, Pops quickly got out the ice cream from the freezer. Benson smiled, thinking about the vacation.

The beach, a little shopping, some nice dinners, and it was only a day and a half drive (Well, one day if they got up super early, but it would just be easier to take longer to get there). In Benson's mind, it was the perfect vacation.

()()()()()()()()()

"Hey Skips, I've got our suitcases," Mordecai shouted from his car.

"Great," said Skips, "Bring 'em over." The yeti was standing by his van and Benson's car, both filled with various suitcases.

Just a couple days ago, Benson had held a park meeting to share the vacation plans. Everyone thought it sounded great, and couldn't wait for it.

The beach house (a house with six bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room and a kitchen) was officially rented out to them. Now all they had to do was pack up everything and they would leave the next day around noon.

"So, who's driving?" Mordecai asked as he brought over his suitcases. Skips took them while Rigby was lounging on the porch steps drinking a can of soda.

"Well, I'm pretty sure I'm drivin', but ask Benson if you wanna know the specifics," Skips replied.

"Kay. Come on Dude," Mordecai said. The raccoon pouted, not wanting to get up from his comfortable position. "You'll get a free cold soda out of it," the bluejay reminded. That was enough to get Rigby moving.

The two walked inside the house and saw Benson sitting at the kitchen table. "Dude, what are you doing?" Rigby asked, "It's vacation and you're still doing work?"

"It's not work!" Benson snapped, glaring at the raccoon, "Just a little organization." The two friends looked at the old clipboard. There were several papers clipped onto it, including a schedule, a checklist, and a few other things.

"Seriously dude?" Mordecai asked, chuckling a little.

"You guys may think it's stupid now, but when you forget something, you'll be thanking me," Benson replied, "What are you guys doing in here anyway?"

"Soda," Rigby replied, opening the fridge and earning another glare from Benson.

"We wanted to see who was driving tomorrow," Mordecai answered.

"Well, we could have fit everyone into two cars, but I figured that would be too crowded. So, Muscleman's taking his car and his family, so that gives us a lot of room. I figured Skips could drive his van, and you two plus Margaret and Eileen could take that. Maddie and Robbie could probably sit in my car with me and Pops, that way everyone has plenty of room. We'll take a couple walkie talkies too, in case any of us gets lost or has trouble or something."

"Um dude, we have cell phones," Mordecai reminded, "Why would we need to take the old walkie talkies?"

"I just have a hunch," Benson replied, not looking up from his papers.

"Mmm!" Rigby said suddenly, his mouth full of soda. He quickly swallowed. "I forgot to tell you guys! I looked up the city we're going to, and I found this awesome restaurant! We have to eat there!" The raccoon quickly ran to the kitchen table and slammed down the pamphlet.

"Medieval Times Restaurant?" Benson read, raising an eyebrow.

"Seriously?" Mordecai asked.

"Aw come on!" Rigby shouted, "It looks awesome! They have huge meals, and you get to watch people swordfight and joost and stuff like that!"

"I think you mean joust, dude," Mordecai corrected.

"Whatever! It's still awesome!" Rigby insisted. Both Mordecai and Benson rolled their eyes.

"We'll see," Benson replied. The raccoon pouted.

"That always means no," he mumbled. Mordecai couldn't help but laugh at his friend. Even if he had matured a little, he was still a kid at heart. Benson on the other hand was just annoyed.

"I said, we'll see," said Benson, "Now shouldn't you two be helping Skips pack?"

"Mmm, nah," Mordecai said, "It's more fun in here."

"OUT!"

"Okay okay, geesh, just a joke Benson." The gumball machine sighed. He couldn't wait to get on the road.

(()()()()()()()()()

Maddie looked through her bag one more time. iPod? Check. DS? Check. Three of her favorite games? Check. Magazines? Check. Pillow and a small blanket (although she had a feeling she wouldn't be able to sleep)? Check.

"I've got everything, Mom," Maddie shouted, zipping up her bag for the last time.

"Great, go ahead and put it in Benson's car when we get there!" Her mom shouted back.

"Okay!" Maddie replied. She smiled as she walked out of her room and out to their car. She couldn't wait for this vacation! Sure it was just going to the beach, but it was still going to the beach! For two weeks! And there was still go-karting, the small pier amusement park, and shopping (and the Medieval restaurant if Rigby had managed to convince Benson). So yeah, she was definitely looking forward to it.

"Dude! Did you bring your DS?" Maddie asked Robbie when her family arrived at the park.

"Yep, all charged up!" Robbie replied. Maddie smiled. Knowing him, he packed nearly all of his games and about a dozen books for the car ride there.

"You know who else is charged up?" they heard Mikey ask from behind them.

"Just be lucky he's not riding in the same car with us," Maddie said to Robbie as they both ignored the punchline.

"Come on! Let's go already!" they heard Rigby shout impatiently.

"In a minute, Rigby!" Benson shouted back. He was going over one last check list check. Everyone was here. All the suitcases were in the car. The cars each had a full tank of gas. He had the directions, and the renting permit, as well as all the money and cards. And everyone had ate lunch and went to the bathroom (For Pops, twice). "Alright, let's go guys," Benson said finally.

Everyone let out a happy cheer and jumped in their assigned cars. "Alright, everyone knows what road to take out of the city?" Benson asked over the walkie talkie.

"Yeah bro."

"Mm hm."

"Okay." Benson started his station wagon, and all three cars rolled out of the park. But no sooner had they exited the park, they heard a voice over the walkie talkie.

"Wait, guys! Before we leave town, can we swing by my house real quickly?" Rigby asked, "I kinda forgot something."

Everyones groans (as well as Mordecai's punch to Rigby's shoulder) could be heard over the walkie talkie. They quickly changed directions.

"So, about my 'lame checklist'," Benson started to say into the walkie talkie.

"STOP TALKIIIING!"

**Short chapter is short. But I still hope it was enjoyable. Please review! And for all the people who said they should go to the beach, thanks! It gave me a lot of great ideas. So thanks! See you in the next chapter!**


	36. Chapter 36

**Warning: This chapter is pure filler. Just a couple short stories of what happens while they're driving to the beach. Nothing really important, but should be fun to write. Also, keep your eyes out for a cameo character. Hope you enjoy!**

The three cars were now (finally) on the road towards the beach. Muscleman, Benson and Skips were driving, although they would switch drivers every two and a half hours, when they would stop to rest.

"So, how long is it going to get there?" Rigby asked Skips.

"About twelve hours, but we'll stop for breaks and lunch, and we won't be driving all night, so we won't get there until tomorrow," Skips answered, keeping his eyes on the road and the red car. Benson's car was in front of him, and Muscleman was behind him.

"Oh okay," Rigby said. The car was silent for a moment. "So, when can I drive?"

Mordecai started to laugh, earning a glare from the raccoon. "Dude, do you seriously think Skips would let you drive?" he asked, "No offense, but can you even reach the pedals."

"Yes I can reach the pedals!" Rigby shouted, "You're just jealous of my sweet driving skills!"

"Whatever dude," Mordecai replied, "Besides, if anyone's taking over when Skips' turn is over, it's gonna be me."

"No way! I'm driving!"

"No, I am!"

"I am!"

"I am!"

"I-!"

"I'm not gonna let either of you drive if you two don't sit down and be quiet!" Skips shouted, raising his voice at the two. The two friends sat down, but continued glaring at each other.

"Come on guys, it's vacation," Margaret said, "You shouldn't be arguing about who gets to drive."

"Yeah, just relax and enjoy the ride," Eileen added. She opened up her purse, and pulled out two DS's. "Or, you can enjoy a challenge."

"Hm hm," Rigby replied, smiling at his wife, "You're on!"

The couple quickly started up a fighting game while Mordecai and Margaret enjoyed listening to the radio. The car was actually peaceful for a while. Forty-five minutes with no commentary from Rigby, definitely a record.

"Come on, come on!" Rigby whispered to his character. He delivered the finishing blow, and the rare (at least for him) winner's screen flashed at him. He smiled. "Yes!" he said happily, "I knew I would beat you eventually! So," He put on a smooth smile, "What do I win?"

He looked at his wife, but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking at the floor, her hands covering her mouth. "Oohhhh," she moaned.

"Eileen? You don't look so good," Rigby commented, stating the obvious. Mordecai and Margaret heard this and looked back at their mole friend.

"Hey Skips, I think Eileen's getting sick," Margaret said to the yeti.

"Yeah dude, pull over!" Mordecai said.

The yeti turned on his walkie talkie. "Benson?" he said.

"Yeah, what is it Skips?"

"We're pulling over for a few minutes," Skips said into the walkie talkie, "Eileen's feeling a little carsick."

"Do you want the rest of us to stop?"

"... No, that's fine," Skips said, almost with a sigh. Everyone in the car gave him a curious look. "We'll catch up."

"Alright," Benson said. They then heard Pops' voice. "Give Eileen my best wishes!"

"Will do, Pops," Skips replied. With that, he turned on his blinker and got onto the side of the road. Eileen quickly dashed out the door and threw up. Rigby (a little reluctantly) followed her out and held her hair back, trying not to get sick himself. After a few minutes, the two got back into the car.

"You've never been carsick before," Rigby said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, maybe it was just a flu bug or something," Eileen replied, looking a little better but still pretty tired.

"Oh, okay," Rigby said, shrugging it off. As he sat back down and the car got back on the road, he remembered something. Good thing he was sitting in the back. The raccoon took off his seat belt and reached into the open trunk behind him, pulling out a small blanket. "Here," he said, handing it to his wife, "In case you want to take a nap or something."

Eileen smiled. "Thanks Rigby." Rigby smiled back, and then put his seat belt back on.

As the car sped up, they quickly caught up to the other two cars, but now they were behind Muscleman's car. A sour smell filled the car, making everyone start to cough and cover their noses. "Aw dude!" Mordecai yelled, coughing.

"Who cracked one?" Rigby asked, covering his nose.

"And that's why I didn't want to stop," Skips said quietly to himself. He really needed to talk to Muscleman about getting his car fixed, at least so he could spare anyone who drove behind him the same fate. He hated having to smell it, but he could put up with it for two hours. He wouldn't be happy about it, but he could put up with it.

"Hey!" Rigby shouted, as if remembering something, "I just realized something! We stopped, but we didn't switch drive-"

"Shut up, Rigby," Mordecai, Margaret and Skips all said in unison.

"... I was just saying."

()()))()()()()()()()

The next several hours were filled with car games, stopping at gas stations and restaurants, getting lost a couple times ("I knew we shouldn't have let you drive." "STOP TALKIIING!"), and a small incident with a group of truck drivers. But other than a few small bumps, the trip was pleasant.

The sun had long since set, and everyone was tired. "My good man," Pops said, opening his tired eyes and looking at the gumball machine in the driver's seat, "I believe it is time to stop for the night."

The gumball machine answered with a yawn. "Yeah, you're right. I'll start looking for a place to stop and tell the others when we get there."

"Wait, Benson," said Robbie, pointing out the window, "There's a motel, and it looks pretty cheap."

Benson looked to the right side of the road. Indeed, there was a small motel with a tall sign outside, the letters flashing bright pink. It didn't look like a nationwide motel chain, but hey, a motel's a motel right? He turned on the walkie talkie. "Okay guys, stop at the motel up ahead."

After a few minutes, all three cars were in the empty parking lot.

"This place is kinda creepy," High Five Ghost commented. Everyone looked at him.

"Coming from you, that's saying a lot, Bro," Muscleman replied.

"Is it even open?" Margaret wondered. The place seemed deserted.

"Yeah, there's a light on inside!" Starla pointed out, mostly because she didn't want to spend the time looking for another motel.

"Okay, Skips, Mordecai, Rigby, and Pops, you all come with me," Benson said, "We'll need at least three or four rooms for everyone. Everyone else, stay out here. We'll be back in a few minutes." The group of five walked into the motel.

The yellow wallpaper was pealing, the floor was dirty and there was no one at the front desk. "I think I may have seen this before," Skips said, trying to remember.

"Dude, you sure it's a good idea to stay here?" Mordecai asked.

"Uh, sure," Benson replied, a little unsure himself. But, pushing that worry aside, he walked up and hit the bell on the front desk.

After a few moments, a figure rose from behind the counter. He was an anthropomorphic cat, with dark red fur and purple circles under his eyes. His thin tail wagged back and forth in anticipation, but stayed under control and calm. He looked at the five with thin yellow eyes, making them all (except for Skips of course) go pale. "Hello," he greeted, his voice dark and sophisticated, but slightly creepy, "Now, would you please sign in?"

"..." "..." "..." "..." "..."

"Okay, so does everyone have a blanket and pillow?" Benson asked as he covered his own body with a blanket. They all decided it would be best to sleep in their cars for the night... after driving about a mile away from the motel... and making sure the doors were locked and the windows were closed.

They weren't taking any chances.

()()()()())()())()

"One, two, three... Go!"

"Aw man!"

"What are you guys doing?" Benson asked, glancing back at the kids.

"Playing rock paper scissors," Maddie answered.

"Our batteries died on our DS's," Robbie added.

"Alright, just make sure you don't tie," Benson said.

"Oh, perhaps they could play the deluxe version of 'Quarts Parchment Shears'," suggested Pops, "The one with five choices instead of three."

"No, I heard if you play 'Lizard' too many times in a row, you summon a giant radioactive one," Maddie said.

"...Actually, that would be pretty cool," Robbie said, smiling a little.

"No it wouldn't," said Benson in a 'Don't-even-think-about-it' tone. The young raccoon pouted a little, but then went back to the game.

The four continued driving, with Pops taking his turn at the wheel (And being a very good driver. After all, once you've mastered driving a flying car, you can pretty much handle anything), Benson listening to the music on the radio, and the kids continued playing their game.

After about ten minutes passed, Maddie looked up at the gumball machine in the front seat. "Hey Benson, are we there yet?" she asked.

"No, we've still got two and a half hours," Benson replied, "We'll be there by 3 o'clock."

"Oh, okay," Maddie said, "Thanks." With that, she went back to her and Robbie's game.

About fifteen minutes later, Benson heard a voice on the walkie talkie. He turned down the radio and answered it. "Hey Benson?" Mordecai asked, "Are we there yet? We'd ask Skips, but he just ignores us if we ask that."

"No, we're not there yet," Benson answered, "But we'll be there in a couple hours."

"Okay, thanks dude." The bluejay hung up, and Benson turned up the music again.

About twenty minutes later... "Hey, Benson?" said the walkie talkie, this time in Rigby's voice.

"What is it, Rigby?"

"Are we getting close?"

"Yeah, but we've still got two hours." He heard the raccoon groaned.

"Fine." He hung up, and Benson sat the walkie talkie down again.

Fifteen minutes later... "Benson!" Now he was getting mad. "Benson," asked Mordecai, "How much long-?"

"Stop. Asking me!" Benson hissed into the walkie talkie, "No more questions about how much farther, or how much longer! Got it!"

"Got it," replied Mordecai, getting the message. With a growl, Benson practically threw the walkie talkie down and sat back in his seat, his red gumballs slowly turning back to their normal pink.

"I wonder what he's going to do if they ask again?" Robbie whispered.

"I don't know, but we'll probably find out," Maddie whispered back. They knew eventually, their fathers (or at least Rigby) would ask again.

Sure enough, after twenty five minutes... "Hey Benson, are we there yet?" Rigby asked, "We have to be getting close right? ... Benson?"

Benson didn't say anything. He simply picked up the walkie talkie, and pressed the big red button on the side. While the four in Benson's car couldn't hear anything, in Skips' car, the two had just gotten an earful of a loud high-pitched beep from the walkie talkie, making them both let out a surprised yell.

After about fifteen seconds, Benson let go of the red button and hit the 'talk' button. "Yes?" he said.

"... You know you really suck Benson," Rigby replied. The gumball machine just chuckled while the two kids giggled.

On the bright side, Mordecai and Rigby learned not to ask 'Are we there yet?'. At least, don't ask it to Benson.

()()()()()()()()()

"We're here!" Pops shouted happily when he spotted the sign, "Good show! Jolly good show!" And he wasn't the only one excited. Everyone was cheering for finally arriving.

"Ye-yuh!" "Wooooo!" Mordecai and Muscleman yelled over the walkie talkies.

The three cars parked in the parking lot and the park family jumped out of the cars. "Ahhh, this is awesome!" Margaret said, spreading her wings out and soaking up the fresh air, "Can't you feel that great ocean breeze?"

"Yeah, this is great," Mordecai agreed. The adults all enjoyed the great weather, while the kids enjoyed the fact that they could finally run around and burn off some energy after sitting in a car for hours on end.

"Man, I haven't been to the beach in a while," Skips said with a smile, "Kinda nice to be back."

"So where are we staying, Bro?" Muscleman asked, "I want to get my stuff unpacked and get started on my sweet tan!"

Benson quickly got out the papers. "Looks like we're staying in House #11."

"It's probably down there," said Mordecai, pointing down the beach. In the opposite direction, away from the pier with all the shops and the small amusement park, there was a small line of beach house sitting on the outer edge of the sandy shores. Each house was about a backyard's length away from each other, giving each person plenty of room, not to mention leaving plenty of room to beach goers that weren't staying in one of the beach houses.

It took about ten minutes to get to their house, but it was well worth the walk. The house was huge, about twenty percent bigger than the park house. The kids quickly ran inside, claiming rooms as their own.

Each person noticed different things as they walked in. Benson noticed how clean the house was and was pleased with it. Pops' loved the 'quaint' seashore style decor. Eileen and Margaret loved that there was so much room, while Mordecai and Rigby loved that the house had a widescreen tv and a coffee maker. As for Muscleman, his family and Skips, they just liked the house all together, just because it wasn't a car.

"Okay guys, listen up!" Benson said, getting everyone's attention, "Unpack your things, and then we can go eat dinner somewhere."

"Aw what!" was nearly everyone's response to that.

"What about the beach?" Maddie asked, "You're the one who wanted to go there the most, Benson."

"By the time we get unpacked, eat dinner and get what we need for the beach, there won't be time for the beach," Benson replied, "But hey, we've got two weeks here. That's plenty of time to go to the beach." Not everyone was satisfied, but they were too tired to argue.

After picking rooms and unpacking, no one really wanted to walk all the way into town. Luckily, a certain yeti was there to save the day. "There's a barbeque place that delivers," he said, holding up a yellow phone book. Good ol' Skips.

The food was great, and soon the house was quiet. The kids had all been tucked in, Skips, Benson, Pops, High Five, Margaret and Eileen were all sitting in the living room relaxing, and Muscleman and Starla were in their room (no one really wanted the details).

As the stars in the sky got brighter, a certain bluejay walked onto the wooden porch. A cool breeze blew past his feathers, and he let out a relaxed sigh.

"Dude?" Mordecai looked back and saw Rigby walking onto the porch.

"Hey dude," Mordecai replied.

"What are you doing?" Rigby asked, walking over to his best friend.

"Eh, nothing," Mordecai replied, "just thinking about how awesome this vacation's going to be. Two weeks of nothing but relaxing and fun."

"Yeah," Rigby replied. He stayed silent for a couple moments. "I never thought I would be taking family vacations again though." Mordecai looked at him. "I mean, my family vacations sucked big time! Having to stay in a car with Don and my parents for hours at a time, and going to some lame old timey town or museum or something like that. I mean, there were a couple fun parts, like the time Don and I had an ice cream eating contest and he threw up in the car." Both of them chuckled at that.

"But even so, I promised not to have anymore family vacations. Only cool vacations, like you and me going somewhere on Spring Break or something like that. But now, going on vacation with Eileen and Robbie and all of you guys - including Benson who is a guy I never thought I would go on vacation with! - Well, I guess it's kinda cool."

Mordecai smiled, "Yeah, cool." He gave his friend a small shove. "Come on dude, let's get back inside."

"Okay." With that, the two best friends walked back inside. Within the next half hour, everyone was in bed asleep, getting ready for the first of many great days during the next two weeks.

**And done! I'm really sorry for the wait. If you're able to name the cameo character and what show he's from, you automatically earn twenty 'awesome points'. **

**I was kinda disappointed in this chapter to be honest. It was originally going to be a lot longer, but the two other stories I had planned just weren't working, so I cut them. But as for what I did keep, I really enjoyed writing them (The 'Are we there yet?' scene was the first one I thought of, and what inspired me to write a whole chapter of short traveling stories). Especially the ending. I always enjoy writing scenes like that.**

**And yes, I referenced 'Rock-Paper-Scissors-Lizard-Spock' from The Big Bang Theory (Or, as it's called in Lolliland, 'Quartz-Parchment-Shears-Reptile-Pointy Eared Gentleman')**

**Anyway, please review. I should have the next chapter up soon. The next few will mostly be their adventures on vacation. So if you enjoy the relatively normal/funny chapters, you should enjoy the next few. Again, please review and have a nice day! **


	37. Chapter 37

**Thank you all for the great reviews! And yes, for those who guessed correctly, it was Katz from Courage the Cowardly Dog. My brother and I just got the first season on dvd so, yeah lol. Great job guys! :D Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy! Also, if you've ever seen 'Lucky Star', or at least the OVA and/or episode 6, you'll see I got a little inspiration from that. Anyway, enjoy! **

Light filled the medium sized room. With three big beds and a small futon, there was more than enough room for three middle schoolers and two little kids.

The first to wake up was Robbie. Once he realized it was morning, he quickly put on his glasses (making the room much clearer) and jumped over to Maddie's bed. "Hey, Maddie. Wake up!"

"Go away," the bird mumbled.

"Come on dude, it's beach time!" The bird's eyes widened and she immediately sat up. Jumping out of the bed, she ran over to the window and opened it. A warm breeze flew past her, and she could smell the ocean from the room.

"Aww, just look at the weather!" she said smiling. It was absolutely perfect.

"A perfect day for the beach!" Robbie cheered.

The twins both poked their heads up and smiled. "Wow! It's so sunny!" cooed Sammi.

"Yeah!" shouted Matt, "Mikey! Get up! It's beach time!" Both twins happily started chanting. "Beach time! Beach time! Beach time!"

Mikey yawned, obviously still tired but nevertheless smiled at his siblings. "I heard. Go get Mom and Dad up so we can get some eats and then we can go swimming. You know who else is gonna go swimming?"

The twins didn't stick around for the punch line. They just jumped out of their bed and ran down the hall chanting 'Beach time'.

Maddie giggled. "They are pretty cute. Kinda wish I had a younger sibling."

"Yeah, they're pretty cool," Mikey replied as he slipped his pajama shirt off his body. He then started to remove his pants. Maddie and Robbie screamed and quickly covered their eyes before they could see anything.

"Dude! What are you doing!" Robbie shouted.

"I'm taking off my clothes so I can put on my swimsuit," Mikey replied, glaring at the young raccoon, "What does it look like I'm doing!"

"He meant, why aren't you doing it in the bathroom!" Maddie yelled.

"What is this, a fancy smancy hotel?"

"Just go before you scar us for life anymore!" Robbie shouted, pointing towards the hallway.

"Fine!" With a huff, Mikey pulled his pants back up and left the room. Relieved, the two friends uncovered their eyes.

"Just when I think that guy isn't a jerk..." Maddie mumbled.

"Hey, smell that?" Robbie interrupted. He whiffed the air and smiled. "I smell pancakes. I call the first batch!" With that, Robbie ran out of the room.

"Hey!" Maddie shouted as she followed him out. Laughing, the two ran downstairs and into the kitchen. Pops was at the oven making pancakes while Skips and Benson were sitting at the table.

"Good morning you two," Pops smiled, "Ready for some flapjacks?"

"Yeah!/Yes please!" Maddie and Robbie said in unison. The lolliman handed the two a plate stacked with pancakes and covered in butter, syrup and powdered sugar, and they sat down at the table.

After a few minutes, Rigby and Eileen came down, followed by Muscleman, Starla, High Five, The twins, Mikey (who was wearing a black tee shirt and swim trunks), Margaret and Mordecai.

In no time at all, breakfast was finished and everyone was rushing for the bathroom to get their swimsuits on and head down to the water. After the twins got their swimsuits on, Muscleman and High Five took them and Mikey down to the water.

The guys all got dressed quickly since they all were just wearing a pair of swim trunks, except for Pops who was wearing an old timey swimsuit (a one piece with red and white stripes), and Skips who decided just to wear jean shorts since he wasn't swimming.

"Man, I am lovin' this beach!" Rigby shouted happily.

"Hm hm," Mordecai agreed. He then looked back at the beach house. "I wonder what's taking them so long."

"You know girls, they take forever," Rigby said, "Come on dude! Let's get in the water!"

"Eh, maybe later," Mordecai replied. He liked the summer weather, and since he usually had to work in it whenever he painted a mural or something, he just wanted to take some time to enjoy it. Besides, it was still morning, the water was probably freezing.

"Aw, come on man!" Rigby complained, scowling at his friend, "What, are you scared of getting your feathers wet?"

Mordecai glared at his friend. "Dude, I'm not scared."

"Then why don't you get in the water?"

"I've got a better idea, how 'bout _you _get in the water?" The bluejay then wrapped his arms around the raccoon and lifted him into the air.

"No! Mordecai! Let me go!" shouted Rigby as he tried to get free.

"But I thought you wanted to go into the water," Mordecai said with a smile, trying to fake innocence.

"Yeah but I didn't want to be thrown in! Now let me go you big jerk!" Mordecai just chuckled.

"Come on, Mordecai. Put my husband down." Eileen said from behind him.

"Aw, I was just having..." Mordecai turned around and he dropped Rigby in the sand ("Ow."), "fun." He had heard Eileen, but that wasn't the one he was looking at.

The girls were finally done getting dressed. Even after being with her for fifteen years, the cardinal beauty could still stun Mordecai into silence. She was wearing a black bikini that showed off her figure but didn't reveal too much, making her look sophisticated as well as gorgeous. The sun reflected off her red feathers, making it almost seem like she was sparkling. "You like?" she asked playfully.

"Yeah, totally," Mordecai replied, making her giggle.

Picking himself off the ground, Rigby got a good look at his own wife and smiled. She wasn't wearing a bikini like Margaret, but that didn't make her any less beautiful. She was wearing a dark blue swimsuit with a white stripe around the waist. It did a great job of showing off her curves. Her brunette hair was down and flowing, perfectly framing her face. Starla was there too but, the less we know about her swimsuit the better.

"Come on, let's go find a place to set up," Eileen said, holding up a towel and closed umbrella.

Meanwhile back at the beach house, Robbie had just ran outside. Like the other males in the family, he was only wearing a pair of swim trunks. He was also wearing a special pair of goggles that acted as his glasses so he could see more than a foot in front of him. "Come on Maddie!" he shouted.

"I'm coming! Geesh!" she shouted back. Skips skipped out and gave the raccoon a small smile before skipping over to the shore and setting up a towel and umbrella by Eileen and Rigby's. Looking at the ocean, he saw a giant wave in the distance come up and then crashed down.

'That's so cool,' he thought. He had read a book or two on surfing and had seen a couple cool surfing videos online. Maybe if he could find a board, he could give it a try. 'I wonder if Benson or Skips knows if there are any surf shops around here...'

"Hey, I'm here." Robbie turned around and felt himself blush slightly.

Maddie was wearing a baby blue one piece swimsuit. She actually looked kinda pretty, but there was something else. It wasn't the suit itself, just the way it changed her body. This wasn't the first time Robbie had ever seen Maddie in a swimsuit. In fact, just last year he probably saw her in one three times when they went over to the local pool. But this time, it was different, or at least _she _looked different.

"Uh, dude? Are you okay?" Maddie asked, looking at Robbie.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm okay," Robbie replied, quickly hiding his face, "Hey, last one's in a loser!"

"Well then I guess that's you!" Maddie shouted. The two ran towards the water. Racing was never boring to them, especially since the outcome was always a surprise. But this time, Maddie knew how it would turn out. As they got closer to the water, Maddie screeched to a halt.

"Huh?" Robbie said, looking back to see why his friend stopped. Not paying attention to what was in front of him, he ended up stumbling and falling face first in the cold water. Lifting his head up and spitting out the water, he heard Maddie laughing.

"Well, you're not a loser," she laughed, "But you look like a wet rat!"

Robbie glared at the violet bird. "Yeah yeah, just get in the water."

"Okay okay, I'm sorry," Maddie said, still giggling. Slowly, she walked into the cool ocean. "Wow, this is really refresh-"

"Look out! On your foot!" Robbie shouted suddenly. Gasping, she looked around her, trying to find the danger Robbie was talking about. As she looked, she felt a pair of paws grab her arms and throw her into the water. "Hey!" she shouted once she lifted her head out. Robbie just laughed at her.

"Now we're even!" He said, throwing in a 'hm hm'. With that, he began to swim out to sea. Smirking, Maddie followed.

On the shore, Eileen and Skips shared a knowing smile. "How long until you think they realize it?" Eileen asked the yeti. He just gave a shrug of his shoulders.

"We'll just have to wait and see," he replied, "speaking of which, when are you going to tell Rigby?"

"About what?" Eileen asked, her face completely innocent. Skips realized that she herself didn't know yet.

"Oh. Nothing," said Skips before turning away, Sometimes it was best to let nature take it's course.

"O-kaaay," replied Eileen. The yeti was smart (she definitely believed him when he said he knew everything), but sometimes he was a little strange. 'But at least he's a good friend,' the mole thought with a smile before turning her attention back towards the kids in the ocean.

()()()()()()()()()()

"Hey guys, look what I found!" Everyone looked, and saw Eileen holding up a white volleyball. "I found it while I was looking for sunblock," she explained.

"Oh my, it looks like fun," Pops said.

"Yeah, we should play a couple games while the kids are swimming," Margaret suggested.

"Yeah, but let's make it guys versus girls!" Rigby added.

"Fine by us," Starla replied, "We're going to kick your butts, and lets make it interesting. Losers have to do the laundry the rest of the week." With all the swimsuits and outfits, it was sure to be a lot of work.

"Fine!" Rigby said, glaring at the green woman.

"Uh, we can't really have boys versus girls," Mordecai said, getting Rigby and Starla's attention, "I mean, there's seven guys and only three girls."

"I'll sit out," Skips volunteered. It wouldn't really be fair if he played since he was so strong.

"I'll sit out too," added High Five Ghost.

"Okay, so that leaves five guys and three girls," Mordecai said, "So, someone has to be on the girls' team."

"Benson, why don't you be on our team?" Margaret asked.

"Yeah Benson," said Rigby, snickering. The gumball machine gave him a death glare, and he was instantly silenced.

"Fine," said Benson, walking over to the girls side. They didn't have a net, but they did draw a line in the sand to mark the middle of their 'court'.

"Okay," said Mordecai, bringing everyone into a circle, "Muscleman and Pops, you guys stay in the back and hit the ball as hard as you can. Rigby and I will stay in the front. Sound good?"

"Yeah./Yeah bro./Jolly good!" The three teammates replied. The four went into position. On the girls side, Eileen and Margaret were in the front while Benson and Starla were in the back.

"First to fifteen wins?" Margaret asked.

"Sounds good to me," Mordecai replied.

"Let's just play already!" Rigby shouted impatiently.

Starla glared at the raccoon. "Well, if you say so..." She threw the ball up into the air, and slammed her hand into it. The ball went up, and whammed Rigby right in the head. It hit him so hard that it actually bounced off his head! Seeing his chance, Pops quickly ran up and hit the ball back over to the other side. Margaret hit the ball, who passed it to Eileen, who hit it over to the boys side.

"I got it!" Mordecai shouted, hitting the ball back over to the girls. The ball spun and landed right between Starla and Benson, missing both of their hands and landing in the sand.

The score: Boys 1, Girls 0.

"Dude, you okay?" Mordecai asked.

"Uh, yeah," Rigby replied, rubbing his head, "Hey, since when do you have green feathers?"

"He'll be fine," Muscleman said, "Come on, it's my turn to serve."

"This is so much fun!" Pops chimed as he walked back over to his spot.

The next few rounds were pretty much the same. Both teams got in some good hits. On the boys' side, Pops was their best player, able to hit the ball with his head in still sending it over the line. Mordecai and Muscleman were pretty strong, and Rigby was fast with just enough strength to pass it to someone else on their team.

But the girls had a good team too. Eileen was good with strategy and Starla was their strongest player. As for Margaret and Benson, they were good at hitting the ball just in the nick of time, it was almost impossible to get the ball past them.

By the end of fifteen minutes, the score was Boys 13, Girls 14. Both teams were starting to get tired, but neither one wanted to spend the week doing laundry, so they were giving it all they had.

Margaret served, sending it right towards the boys' weakest player. Rigby hit the ball as hard as he could and sent it towards Mordecai. "Got it!" He hit the ball once, sending it up into the air and then he hit it again to send it hurdling over the line. "Whoa!" shouted Margaret, dodging the strong attack. The ball hit the sand, and the boys earned another point. It was a tied game now.

As she picked up the ball, she noticed Mordecai give her a confident smirk, almost in a flirty way. Margaret returned the look. "Don't think we're gonna lose just because you're cute," she said.

"Dude, stop flirting with your wife and focus!" Rigby said, grabbing Mordecai's arm and getting his attention, "There's no way I'm doing chores on vacation." Margaret giggled and walked back to her spot.

"Come on guys, uh, girls," said Benson, "Let's win this."

Margaret smiled, mostly because she was happy to see Benson getting into the game. He usually wasn't interested in this kind of game. "You're up, gumball," she said, tossing him the ball.

Benson took a couple steps back and got ready to serve. "Hey Benson-Benson, Hey Benson, swing!" Rigby shouted.

"Dude, that's for baseball," Mordecai said.

"I know, why do you think I changed it to 'Benson'?" Rigby replied before going back to his chant. Benson growled, squeezing the ball so hard they thought it was going to pop.

Benson threw the ball in the air, ran a couple steps ahead, and swung his arm forward. "Here!" he shouted, slamming his hand into the ball. It was like firing a cannon!

"Whoa!" everyone, even Skips and High Fives on the sidelines, shouted. Once he saw how much power he used, even Benson was surprised. Of course Rigby couldn't hit it, and it flew past Mordecai. Muscleman was in the opposite corner so the only one who would be able to even try to hit it was...

"Pops!" everyone shouted.

The lolliman became frightened. That ball looked like it would really hurt if it hit him in the face. He almost considered running and trying to dodge the ball, but that would mean making his teammates lose. Pops put on a determined face. He wasn't going to let his team down. As Pops ran up to meet the ball, everything seemed like it was in slow motion.

He raised his thin arms, and got ready to strike. "Right back at you, my good man!" With that, he hit the ball back with just as much, if not more force than Benson's serve. Flying past the girls, the ball landed not in the sand but in Benson's stomach. The ball sent the poor gumball machine back nearly ten feet and covered him with sand.

"Oh my," said Pops, covering his mouth with his hand. Quickly, he ran over to Benson. "My good man, are you alright?" he asked, feeling extremely guilty.

The gumball machine groaned and sat up a little, the volleyball still in his arms. "Well, it's a good thing this old thing's made out of metal," he said, referring to his body. Pops giggled a little, and Benson gave him a small (slightly painful) smile.

"Hey, we won!" Rigby shouted.

"Aw yeah!" Muscleman cheered as the two continued celebrating.

"Aw, we should've put that old man on our team," said Starla, pouting at their lost.

"Hey, come on Starla," Eileen said, giving the brunette a smile.

"Yeah, it was fun wasn't it?" Margaret added.

"I guess," Starla replied, still not really happy.

"Don't worry baby, just because you lost doesn't mean you won't get a runner's up prize," Muscleman said, making all of his wife's anger melt away.

"Well, in that case," she said giving him a flirtatious look.

Rigby groaned. "Aw, come on guys. Really?" The others just either chuckled or rolled their eyes.

Pops helped Benson out of the sand and made sure he could stand. "Are you sure you are alright?" Pops asked.

"Yeah, but I think I'm just going to relax for a while," Benson replied, placing a hand on his stomach.

Pops gave him a kind smile. "Well, I know the perfect place." With that, he led the gumball machine over to a nice umbrella and a soft blanket where he could lay down and relax.

Even though he still felt slightly guilty about that last point, Pops still smiled when he remembered the fun game of volleyball. He would definitely have to play it again before the vacation was over. 'But, maybe not so hard,' he reminded himself.

()()()()()()()()

"Woo! Beach food is the best!" shouted Rigby.

"Yea-yuh!" agreed Mordecai.

After finding a small snack shack with plenty of picnic tables to sit on, the family decided to get something to eat. The adults (as well as the two five year olds so Starla could help cut their food) sat at one table while the kids sat at another. The menu had normal beach food like hot dogs, burgers, chicken, nachos, just about anything greasy or filled with sugar.

It truly was great.

"Just take it easy on the beer, Muscleman," Benson said, "Remember, this is a public beach. We don't want a repeat of last time."

"Oh come on, it was just that one time, let it go bro," Muscleman replied, "Besides, you're on your third can already!"

"I, actually know how to handle my beer," Benson replied.

"Hey, if it makes you less naggy," Rigby mumbled just loud enough for everyone to hear. An ice cube bonked him on the head. "Hey!" Everyone laughed.

Meanwhile at the table right next to them, the kids were eating their food. "You know what I love about summer food?" Maddie said, "the desserts."

"Yeah," Robbie agreed, "You've got ice cream, slushies, slurpies, (yes, there's a difference) candy, and root beer floats!"

"But slushies are the best," said Mikey, "especially the cherry and the blue Hawaii ones!"

"Yeah," Maddie and Robbie agreed. Just then, the three kids heard the whirl of a machine. An ice crushing machine. In an instant, the three were over by their parents.

"Could we please have money for a slushie?" Maddie asked Mordecai.

"Can we Dad?" Robbie asked Rigby.

"Sure," Mordecai smiled, handing Maddie a five dollar bill.

"Get me one too, will ya?" Rigby asked with a smile as he handed Robbie a ten dollar bill.

"Sure Dad," Robbie replied. Mikey ran over to the two holding a five dollar bill and the three ran up to the snack counter.

"Four slushies please," Maddie asked.

"You know, for seventeen dollars, you can get a Double-Extra-Large Slushie," the cashier said, pointing at the empty cup. It was huge! Almost the size of Muscleman's head! And if they bought it, they would still have enough to get Rigby's slushie.

"We'll take it!" they said in unison. Getting their's a cherry flavor, the three handed Rigby his cup and then sat down at their table. They each stuck a straw into the icy dessert.

"This is gonna taste great!" said Mikey, grinning.

"Just don't drink it all," Robbie said, giving the eighth grader a warning look.

"Yeah Mikey," added Maddie.

"Hey, it's not my fault if you two are slow drinkers," Mikey said in defense. The three glared at each other and then jumped for their straw. They all started slurping down the flavored eyes, not taking their lips off the straw and occasionally letting out an 'Mmm'. The slushie really was delicious.

But then, it struck them like lightning. They let out a bloodcurdling scream.

"What's wrong!" Margaret asked, instantly concerned for her daughter and the boys she considered her nephews.

"BRAIN FREEEEEZE!" The kids yelled in unison, making the adults laugh.

"It's not funny!" Maddie shouted, "Ahhh! Make it stop! Make it stop!" Mikey was letting out a screech that sounded similar to his dad's, and Robbie was pulling at his hair.

"I can't take this anymore!" the young raccoon shouted. With that, he jumped out of his seat, ran outside the snack shack, and stuck the top of his head in the hot sand. He let out a sigh of relief.

"You're going to be cleaning sand out of your hair for weeks," Eileen said.

"Totally worth it, Mom!" Robbie replied, his head still in the sand, "Totally worth it!"

()()()()()()()()

The rest of the day consisted of swimming, sand castle making, Benson burying (Well, they needed someone to bury in the sand), shell hunting, more swimming, and relaxing. For a first day at the beach, it was just about perfect. But, in Margaret's opinion, it was missing one thing.

"Come on," she said, pulling the blue wing along.

"Where are we going?" Mordecai asked with a chuckle.

"You'll see," Margaret replied, "and keep your eyes closed!"

"Okay, okay! They're closed!" They walked a few more feet and then Margaret stopped.

"Okay Mordecai, open them." The bluejay opened his eyes and his beak opened in awe.

"Whoa," he said. He was looking at a perfect view of the sunset. Without having to say a word to each other, they sat down on the sand. Mordecai wrapped his wing around Margaret while she nestled her head in his soft chest.

It had been a while since they had had some alone time. With Margaret's top notch business job, and Mordecai's painting job where a customer could call at any minute, they didn't really have a scheduled in private time. When they were together, they were usually also with Maddie or Rigby and Eileen or someone else. Not that they minded or resented it, but they did miss the private time they would spend together.

Now, it felt like they had all the time in the world.

"Margaret?" Mordecai said.

"Hmm?" The cardinal replied, slightly opening her eyes.

"I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too," she replied. The two birds brought their beaks together and shared a passionate kiss. When it finally ended, they smiled lovingly at each other.

"Guys!" shouted a familiar voice. The two love birds looked back at the beach house, and saw Benson and Pops already at the door. "Come on, everyone inside," said the gumball machine. They noticed he had his hand on his head, and his energy looked just about gone.

"Guess he can't handle his beer as well as he thought," Mordecai joked. Margaret giggled and the two stood up. Without having to say another word, the two shared one more kiss and then walked hand in hand back to the beach house.

Now, the day truly was perfect.

**Yay, I liked writing this chapter :) Next one should be up in a few days (though it may be longer since I've got another stupid project :P ). More adventures on vacation, focusing more on the kids this time. And I promise, the plot is coming up, the rest of the story will not just be all oneshots. **

**Please review, and have a nice day! (Hope the weather's nice where you live. Here, it's been raining all afternoon. I almost wanted to jump into this chapter and be at the beach with Mordecai and Rigby. Then again, who wouldn't want to go to the beach with those two? Lol). Bye!**


	38. Chapter 38

"I smell blueberry!"

"I smell muffins!"

"Blueberry muffiiiiiins!" The two best friends shouted together. Maddie and Robbie laughed at one another and then quickly ran downstairs. All the adults were at the table, while Mitch and the twins were still getting ready.

"We were wondering when you two would wake up," Margaret smiled, pushing a plate over to her daughter.

"We were really tired, we did swim all afternoon," Maddie said in defense. Both kids started eating their muffins, a satisfied "Mmmm" interrupting their chews. Touched, the lolliman smiled at them and offered them two more muffins.

"So, what are you guys gonna do today?" Mordecai asked after taking a sip of milk, "More swimming?"

"Or pwaying in the swand?" Rigby asked, his mouth full.

"Actually, we were thinking of something different," Maddie answered.

"We were wondering if we could walk around town, you know, go to different stores and stuff," Robbie said, explaining their plan. This was a whole new town, and a beach town at that. There was bound to be cool stuff to buy.

"You guys are going shopping?" Mikey said as he finished coming down the stairs, "Great, I could use a couple things. I'll come with."

Both kids groaned. "Awww, do we have to?" they asked, looking at each of their parents, silently pleading for them to say Mikey couldn't come.

"Hey, my kid is just as responsible as your guys's," Muscleman said, "and he's older, which means he's probably more responsible."

"What!/You can't be serious!" Mordecai and Rigby both shouted. The three dads quickly started arguing with each other. But before any trouble could start up, Benson slammed his plate on the table.

"Hey!" Everyone went silent. Benson looked at the three kids. "Look, I say, as long as it's okay with all of your parents and as long as you _all _promise to behave, I don't think there's any reason for you guys not to go." He looked around the table. "Any objections?"

"As long as they stay safe and have fun, I don't mind," Eileen said.

"Same here," Margaret added.

"I don't have to worry about my little lumpkin getting into trouble," Starla said (making Maddie and Robbie snicker a little).

The three dads looked at each other, and then at their kids. "Okay, you guys can go," Mordecai said finally. The three all cheered. Even if they all had to hang out together, it was a small sacrifice to make for a fun day of shopping and exploring the town.

As soon as breakfast was over, the three got dressed and grabbed their cash. Maddie and Robbie both had saved up allowance, add that to the twenty dollars their parents gave them, and they each had a little over thirty five dollars. Mikey didn't bring any money, but his mother happily gave him forty dollars.

"Sweet!" Mikey said happily. Then, he quickly switched to his 'polite little angel' routine. "Thank you Mom," he said politely with a sweet smile.

"Aww, no problem pumpkin," Starla smiled, giving Mikey a small hug. As soon as she left the room, Mikey dropped the angel act.

"Okay sixth graders, let's go," Mikey said, opening the door.

"Wait." He looked back and saw Maddie and Robbie glaring at him. "We need to set some ground rules," Maddie said, sounding a lot like Benson (Robbie would have to remind himself to tease her about that later) "We can go to the stores you want to go to, but in return, you have to go to the stores _we _want to go to. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Now I- wait what?" Maddie and Robbie blinked.

"Dude, did you just agree without a fight?" Robbie asked.

"Yeah," Mikey replied, "I told you, I've got some stuff I need, and if I argue with you guys about where to go, we won't be able to go and I won't get what I need. But I'm only going to the lame stores you want to go to until I get what I need, and then you guys have to do what I want."

"Okay, fair enough," Maddie said with a sigh. At least he was giving them half the day.

"Okay. Then let's go!"

()()()()()()()()()

As soon as they entered the shopping district of the town, they saw several clothes and knick-knack stores. "Cool," Maddie commented, looking at all the sweatshirts and hats in the windows.

"Let's go in here," Mikey suggested, actually pretty politely.

"Um, okay," Robbie said. The pudgy green boy smiled and walked into the shop. "Hey, is it me or is it weird not having him be a jerk?"

"I know," Maddie replied, "But we know he's going to start acting like one again eventually, he said so himself, so let's just try to make the best of it."

The three kids looked around the huge store. It sold mostly tee shirts and sweatshirts, but there were toys and novelties too. Novelty license plates, plastic animals, magnets, snowglobes, stuff like that.

As Maddie looked at the baseball caps, she couldn't help but notice that Mikey was looking at the jewelry, specifically the necklaces. 'Why would he be looking over there?' she wondered.

"Hey Maddie! Look what I found!" The bird looked up and walked towards her friend. He was standing in front of a giant claw machine.

"So cool!" Robbie said, "and look at the prizes!" There were the usual stuffed animals and three eyed aliens, but there were also things like DVDs, CDs, DS games, iPods, gift cards to various stores, and more. "I'm going to get that iPod," Robbie said, getting out a quarter.

"Dude, those things are such ripoffs," Maddie said, rolling her eyes, "They loosen the hand just enough so that you can never get-" She then noticed something towards the bottom of the machine. "... Dude. Is that a Edward Elric plushie?"

Robbie gave her a look. "Have you been watching anime again?" (A/N See 'Little Moments', chapter 2 number 25)

"Shut up, I call next turn," Maddie said, slamming a quarter on the deck of the machine.

After several attempts from each of them, neither one had been able to claim their prize. "Stupid machine!" Robbie yelled, kicking it.

"Come on, dude," Maddie said, "Let's just go."

"Hey, there you guys are," Mikey said, walking towards them, "I've been looking for-... did you guys actually try playing this?" They nodded, and he smiled. And let me guess, you didn't win anything?"

They both sighed. "No."

Mikey laughed in their faces. "Oh man, that's hilarious." He shoved the two out of the way and took out a quarter, "Let a pro show you two sixth graders how it's done. Hmm, I'm going to get that movie, it's awesome!" He deposited his quarter and maneuvered the claw to the dvd box. The claw lowered, the metal fingers pinching the dvd in between them. Slowly, Mikey raised the claw and moved it towards the drop box. But, just when it was only half a foot away from the box, the dvd slipped through the claw and into the pile of other lost prizes.

"Aw what!" Mikey shouted, clearly pissed off.

"Come on dude," Maddie said, "It's impossible. Let's just go."

"No! I almost had that!" Mikey protested.

"Sorry dude, just let it go," Robbie said.

"No! I want my prize!" Mikey then started shaking the machine, rocking it back and forth.

"Mikey, stop it!" Robbie shouted, pulling on Mikey.

"Yeah, you're going to get in trouble! Just let it go!" yelled Maddie, also trying to pull him back. As she did, she noticed the machine was slowly falling towards them. "Look out!" she shouted, pulling both Mikey and Robbie out of the way.

The machine fell with a thud, the glass shattering all around them.

"Mikey, look what you did!" Maddie shouted, trying to keep herself from punching him.

"Now we're all going to get in trouble!" Robbie yelled.

"It's not my fault the machine's so cheap," Mikey said in his defense.

"Huh? What?" The three looked down and saw one of plushies, a small stuff dog, look around. It's tail started to wag. "Oh my! We're free! Thank you strangers! Come on everyone, let's go!"

There was a small shout of cheer and all the stuffed animals jumped up and ran towards the store exit, shouting things like "Thank you!" behind them. When they all left and the store was silent once again, the three kids just stood there.

"... Well, that happened," Maddie finally said.

"Yep," replied Robbie, "... We should probably get out of here."

"Wait!" said Mikey. He bent down and picked up the dvd he had tried to win, "Okay, now we can go."

()()()()()()()()()()

"Hey guys look!" Robbie said happily, "a sweet shop!"

"What do they sell?" Maddie asked.

"What do you think? Sweets, duh!" Robbie laughed at his joke. "Get it? Sweet like 'Oh sweet!' and sweet like candy and stuff?" Maddie gave him an unimpressed look. Robbie scowled at her. "Fine, let's just go in the shop." One day he would make her laugh with one of his quote unquote 'corny' (her opinion only) jokes.

As soon as the three entered the shop, they were practically smothered with the scent of chocolate, baked goods and candy. "Aww, this is awesome!" Mikey said, taking a good long whiff.

"This must be what Heaven smells like!" Maddie smiled.

"Hey, put a few video games and toys and stuff in here and it would be Heaven," Robbie added.

"Welcome kiddies!" A woman said, blonde and wearing pink, reminding them of their kindergarden teacher's sister, "I sure hope you enjoy some sweet treats here today! We've got everything from apples dipped in caramel to zesty lemon gumdrops! And today only, we have free samples of fudge!" She pointed over to a table with a model of an Aztec Pyramid made entirely out of fudge!

"You don't need to tell me twice!" Mikey shouted as he ran forward, "Move it lady!" He was at the table in five seconds flat, stuffing his face with fudge.

"My my, someone's an eager beaver," the candy lady smiled. She then looked at the two remaining kids. "Well, what are you waiting for! Dig in!" The two friends looked at each other, and smiled. In a heartbeat, they were both right beside Mikey and stuffing their faces as well.

(Five Minutes Later)

The three were sitting on the floor, chocolate lining their mouth and their stomachs cradled in their arms. "Why, did we do that?" Maddie asked (more like moaned).

"We're so dumb," Robbie said.

"I'm never, gonna eat, again," Mikey said before falling to the floor.

"Oh my," the candy lady said, still smiling sweetly, "Looks like your eyes were bigger than your stomachs! Hehe! Well, I certainly hope you'll take some for the road!"

"No way, lady," Robbie said.

"We're done for the day," Maddie agreed. The lady scowled at them.

"Au contraire, my sweeties." The blonde pointed at a sign that read 'If you take more than one free sample, you must purchase something.'

"Oh fine," Maddie said. They should get something for their families anyway. All three kids got each of their parents a bag of assorted candies. Mikey also got Matt and Sammi a bag of M&Ms, and they all chipped in to buy a bag of lollipops for Pops, a bag of white chocolate for Skips (they all knew the guy couldn't resist the stuff), and a small bag of cookies for Benson (they couldn't really give him candy because, well, he was candy!)

"Thank you!" the candy lady said, smiling once again, "Hope you have a super duper sweet day! Bye bye now!"

"She nearly gave me a cavity just listening to her," Robbie commented. Maddie giggled.

"Yeah, she-" Maddie stopped when she heard munching. They turned to look, and saw Mikey eating another piece of fudge.

"Dude, you're eating more?" Robbie asked.

"What happened to, 'I'll never eat again'?" Maddie asked.

"I got better," Mikey replied with a shrug of his shoulders, "Now come on Sixth graders, to the next store." The two glared at him, but followed anyway, they still had a lot of ground to cover.

()()()()()()()()()()

It was almost noon by the time they had reached the end of the main street. They had stopped inside a couple random stores but couldn't really find anything to buy. The only thing they had bought so far was the candy, and Maddie bought herself a new baseball hat with a picture of a sunset on it.

"Maybe we should think about heading back," Robbie suggested.

"Yeah, there's still time to go swimming," Maddie added, "and it's about lunch time, so-"

"No, not yet," Mikey said. Obviously he wasn't done shopping. He looked across the street and saw a store with an interesting window display. Mostly beach shells and coral with standees wearing tee shirts and hats. But, there was a small wooden box that caught his attention. "Let's go in here," he said. Before anyone could argue, he ran across the street.

"Come on, let's go catch him," Maddie said to Robbie. The two quickly across the street and inside the store. It had a very casual setting, and the things they sold there weren't the usual 'corny souvenirs'.

"Look," Robbie said. There was a couple small wooden shelves, one filled with books, the other filled with magazines and comics. The raccoon was instantly over by the shelf, looking at all the different titles and taking books off the shelf. The violet bird giggled, and decided to look at the magazines.

Meanwhile, Mikey was over by the window display, looking at the small wooden box and the five objects inside. After looking at them all, he decided on a gold necklace with a small baby blue shell attached to it. He quickly looked over at the two animal friends. They were still looking at the books.

Hastily, he made his way to the cashier. "Uh, just this," he mumbled.

"Alright," said the cashier, "five dollars." Without another word, Mikey handed the cashier the money, who in return gave him the necklace in a small bag. "Thank you for shopping here."

"Yeah yeah," Mikey mumbled. He turned and practically ran right into Maddie and Robbie. "Whoa!"

"Hey!" Maddie looked down at the bag. "Mikey, what did you buy?" she asked curiously.

"None of your business!" Mikey replied, glaring at the girl. Not paying attention to Robbie, the raccoon was able to sneak a peek inside the bag.

"A necklace?" Robbie said. Surprised, Mikey quickly grabbed Robbie's collar and yanked him back over to Maddie.

"Stay out of my bag!" Mikey shouted. But instead of being mad or arguing, the two just smiled at him.

"Dude, you don't have to be embarrassed," Robbie said in a kind tone.

"Yeah, I think it's kinda sweet you're getting something for your mom," Maddie smiled.

"... It's not for my mom," Mikey mumbled. The two blinked.

"Is it for your sister?" Robbie asked.

"No, Sammi's too young for jewelry and all that other girly crap," Mikey replied.

"Is it for you then?" Maddie asked.

"No way!" Mikey shouted, "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a girly necklace, unless it had a skull or something cool on it."

"Well then, who is it for?" Robbie asked. Mikey looked away from them.

'Who could it be for?' Maddie thought. The only girls Mikey knew were his mother, grandmother, sister, her, Kimi, Tay-... Maddie then remembered the sleepover a month ago. Taylor was the one who asked if they should include Mikey. Mikey did complement Taylor on her video game skills, and then blushed when he realized it. The two had even sat together most of the night without even realizing it.

"Mikey, do you like Taylor?"

The shop was silent. Mikey looked at them in shock, and then scowled, his face bright red. "No! Why would I like a dumb girl like her! She can't even talk right! Just, just get away from me!" With that, the pudgy green boy ran out the door.

"Mikey wait!" Maddie shouted, but he was already gone.

"Wait, so Mikey likes Taylor?" Robbie asked.

"I think so," Maddie replied, "but I don't think he wants to admit it."

'I kinda know the feeling,' Robbie said. He still felt that way about Maddie at times. He knew what it was like to have a crush, but not being able to say it out loud, although he had a feeling they both had different reasons for not admitting it. Robbie just thought it would be easier to stay best friends with Maddie. But Mikey, what could his reason be?

"Come on, we better go find him." Robbie blinked.

"Huh? Oh, right." The two walked out the shop door and started looking around for the eighth grader. Eventually, they found him by a lemonade and hot dog shop, eating his third hot dog. His back was turned to them, with hot dog wrappers sitting all around his chair.

"Mikey?" Maddie said, slowly walking towards them.

"Go away, losers!" he shouted.

"Hey, we're just trying to help," Robbie said, "Look, we don't care that you like Taylor or that you bought her a necklace or any of that. We're not gonna tease you for it. So just please stop being upset and just come back with us."

Mikey didn't turn around, but he did hear what the raccoon had said. "You aren't gonna tease me?"

"No, why would we?" Maddie asked. Mikey scowled. 'Why would you?' He wished he knew the reasons why his friends did.

Back when school was still in session, Mikey had been hanging out with Taylor a little more often. Not constantly, but he would say hey if he saw her. He started thinking about her, and smiling when he saw her. It wasn't much, but unfortunately, it was enough for his friends to make them tease him.

"'Cause, liking a girl is lame and sissy and all that crap," Mikey finally replied, still not turning around, "I'm the tough guy, the cool guy. I'm not supposed to... to feel like this."

Maddie facepalmed. "Mikey, what are you talking about? Everyone feels like this at least once! Even your parents!" Mikey looked up. That's right. His dad, the toughest and coolest guy he knew, the guy he always looked up to, had felt things like this. And, since (thankfully) his parents hadn't divorced, he was still feeling those things.

"Guys are allowed to be romantic and have feelings," Maddie continued, "They may not like admitting them, but they have them. And you know what, Mikey? The sooner you just shut up and except them, the sooner you can be happy with the person you like." Robbie looked up at his friend and smiled. She really did get her dad's awesome speech making abilities (even if it was a little corny).

Finally, Mikey turned around and looked at the two sixth graders. They were both smiling at him. And slowly, Mikey smiled too. "Thanks," he said quietly.

"No problem," Maddie said, with Robbie nodding. The green boy scowled at them.

"But if you tell anyone I like her, your both gonna be sorry!"

The two friends rolled their eyes. "Fine, we won't say anything until you're ready to say it," Maddie said. He may be a jerk at times, but at least he was a nice jerk. Even if he hadn't made them, they still would've kept his secret. After all, they were kinda friends.

"Good," Mikey replied, "Now here." He shoved two hotdogs still wrapped in tin foil in their hands.

"Hot dogs?" Robbie asked, confused.

"Yeah," replied Mikey, "I was gonna eat them but, I'm not really hungry anymore."

The three friends smiled at each other. "Well, it is almost lunch time." With that, the two sat down with Mikey, and ate their lunch.

()()()()()()()()()()

It was getting close to 2 o'clock. "Let's go," Mikey said finally, "there aren't any cool stores left."

"Fine by us," Robbie said, wiping the sweat off his forehead, "I'm so tired I can't even keep my tail up."

"Besides, our parents are probably wondering where we are," Maddie said. The three turned and started to walk back. They had walked about a block when the young bird noticed something out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, what's that?"

The two boys looked. On the corner of a street, there was a small pet store. "Huh, guess we didn't notice it since we were walking up the street," Robbie said.

"Come on, let's go check it out," Mikey suggested. Since they were curious too, Maddie and Robbie followed Mikey into the store.

The walls were painted bright blue and the shop was full of life. There were the normal pets like rats, fish and birds, but there were also more unique pets like platypi and hypnotoads. "Whoa cool, jelly fish!" Robbie said, looking up at a huge aquarium.

"Snakes! Awesome!" Mikey said, looking at the reptile section. "Maybe I can get Mom to let me have a lizard or something."

As for Maddie, she was looking at all the pets. They were all so interesting to watch. But when she arrived at one aquarium, she noticed that there was nothing in there.

"Huh?" she bent down to get a closer look. The water was clear, and so was the floor of the aquarium. But, there was a huge rock with a cave carved into it. "Maybe it's hiding in there." She tapped the glass twice, and in the middle of the pitch black cave, a pair of yellow eyes opened.

They looked almost human, only they were yellow instead of white. They were glaring at her, and Maddie felt a chill run down her spine.

"Just ignore that thing," an employee behind her said, "Found it caught in a tuna net, decided it would make a great pet. But that thing won't do nothin'."

Maddie made a face. "Well, maybe it's just homesick or something." She looked back at the eyes. They weren't deadly or ferocious, just defensive. "Aren't you going to come out?" she said quietly, looking straight into the eyes of the creature.

A moment past. Half a minute passed. Finally, after almost a full minute or staring down the creature, Maddie noticed it's eyes get softer. Slowly, it swam towards the light. She could see the very tip of a grey snout when...

"Hey!" Maddie jumped, and the creature swam back into the darkness. She groaned and turned to face the voice.

"Whoa, what is that thing?" Robbie asked as Maddie glared at Mikey.

"I'm not sure," Maddie said honestly.

"Maybe it's a water snake or something?" Robbie guessed.

"Do most water snakes have bug yellow eyes?"

"I don't see any eyes," Mikey said looking into the clear cage.

"Well, they were there until you made me scare it," Maddie mumbled.

"Well, whatever it is it's not coming out now," Robbie said, "We should probably get going anyway."

"Yeah, okay." As the three walked out of the shop, Maddie couldn't help but think back to those piercing yellow eyes.

()()()()()()()()()

"We're back!"

Mordecai and Rigby looked up from the game they were playing. "Oh hey guys," Mordecai greeted, "So, did you have fun?"

"Yep!" Maddie replied. She then held out the candy bag she got him. "Here Dad!"

"Aw sweet!" Mordecai smiled, "Thanks Maddie." He gave her a hug.

"Here's one for you too, Dad," Robbie said, handing him the bag of candies.

"Yea-yuh! Thanks," Rigby said as the two fist bumped (which was basically their hug).

By the time the three had finished tracking down the rest of their family and delivering the candy, Mordecai and Rigby had finished their game and the tv was free. "Awesome!" Maddie quickly grabbed the remote.

"Hey, why do you get to pick," Mikey asked, grabbing for the remote.

"Because Micheal, I touched it first!" Maddie argued. The two pulled back and forth on the remote.

"Just give it here, I'll pick something!" Robbie shouted, pulling the remote towards him.

"No way!" "Give it!" "I'll pick!" As the three pulled on the remote, someone accidentally pressed the 'on' button, and the tv flashed on. It was already on a channel, they were showing 'America's Funniest Home Videos'. The three stopped arguing just enough to see a guy fall face first in the mud after trying to jump over a trashcan. The three laughed and instantly forgot about their argument.

Just three friends, a funny tv show, and candy. Even on vacation, it was a great activity if not an enjoyable one.

"Well, nice to see you guys are having fun," Eileen said as she and Margaret came inside for a drink. While Margaret sipped her glass of soda, she sat up a little, noticing something outside.

"What is it, Mom?" Maddie asked, noticing.

"Oh, nothing. It's just, I thought I saw a dog running outside," Margaret replied, "but it looked soft, practically stuffed."

The three shared a smile. "Yeah," they said in unison.

**Not my favorite chapter and I had a couple problems with it, but I still think it was good, at least 'average'. Also, small detail but deserves credit where credit is due. The whole 'Skips loves white chocolate thing' is from 'Bubble Gum and Lollipops' by J. Avery. Again, small detail but I still wanted to give her credit, especially since it's one of my favorite stories and she's an awesome writer (Seriously, read her stories. They're amazing)**

**Anyway, hope you enjoyed, and the next is on it's way (Good news everyone! The plot's finally starting! It should be enjoyable, I'm really looking forward to writing it). In fact, it's one fourth of the way written. If I can stay focused and nothing interrupts me, it should be up tomorrow. Please review and I'll see you soon!**


	39. Chapter 39

**Quick warning right now: I've never been to this place (almost went, but when my family put it to a vote, it was one against three. -.- *sigh* I'll go there someday) so if I get some details wrong, I'm sorry. I'm just taking from what I've read online and seen on youtube videos. Anyway, enjoy!**

The next few days consisted of playing in the sand, swimming, go-karting, shopping, eating, more swimming and everything in between. It was definitely an awesome vacation. And they still had a week to go!

"Okay everyone! Everyone inside! Get dressed we have to go!" Benson shouted. He was immediately bombarded with protests.

"But Benny! It's not even sunset!" Maddie said.

"Yeah, just five more minutes!" added Rigby.

"Look, we're not going to bed or anything, we're going to supper. Now come on, everyone get dressed. I want everyone in a car in ten minutes," Benson said in a manager-like tone.

"Where are we going anyway?" Robbie asked.

"You'll see when we get there," Benson replied, not giving anything away. Grumbling a little, everyone went inside and threw on a tee shirt and shorts. In ten minutes flat, they were all in a car and driving into town.

"I hope he's not taking us to some lame fancy restaurant or something," Rigby mumbled.

"Dude, if Benson was making us go to a fancy place, he would never let us wear shorts and tee shirts to it," Mordecai replied.

"... Well, yeah I guess you're right," Rigby mumbled, "But still, I bet it's going to be somewhere lame like a-." Rigby didn't get to finish his sentence. He was interrupted by the sound of Benson's voice through the walkie talkie.

"Okay everyone, turn here."

Skips turn and drove into a parking lot. A mysterious shadow looming over them, the elder raccoon looked out the window at the source of the shadow. He gasped. He couldn't believe it.

Sitting about twenty feet in front of them was a castle. A stone castle with the words 'Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament' right on the front of the building.

"Guess Benson didn't take us somewhere lame after all," Eileen said, smiling at her husband who was still in shock. In a flash, he grabbed the walkie talkie and shouted "THANK YOU BENSON YOU'RE SO AWESOME!" into it.

They could hear the kids and Pops' giggles and Benson's sigh. "Whatever," he replied, "Just don't screw anything up or you can forget about coming to a place like this ever again! Got it?"

"Yeah yeah Mom, I've got it," Rigby replied, rolling his eyes.

"Rigby..." Benson warned.

"Okay, I promise not to screw anything up! Let's just go! Medieval Times WOO!" With that, the raccoon tossed the walkie talkie in the back of the car and ran out, the rest of his family following him.

()()()()()()()()()()

The restaurant literally was like a king's dining hall. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, glowing brightly. Different colored banners were strung all around. There were statues of knights and two thrones for people to take pictures in. There were windows where you could see the stables and the 'knights' horses, and a small museum with various weapons.

"Well, I gotta admit, they got a lot of details right," Skips commented, looking impressed at all the decor.

"How quaint!" Pops chimed, smiling.

"Look Daddy! Horsees!" said Sammi, jumping up and down in Muscleman's arms.

"And swords!" Matt shouted, sitting in his mom's arms.

"See, I told you this place would be awesome!" Rigby said.

"Hello," said a waitress dressed in traditional maiden wear, "Oh my, what a large group? Are you all together?"

"Well, we're paying in three separate bills, but we can all sit together," Benson answered.

"Alright," said the waitress, grabbing a bakers dozen of cardboard crowns, "You'll all sit in the Red Knight's section. Make sure to cheer extra loud! We'll be starting in half an hour, enjoy the show!"

"Thank you!" said Pops, grabbing a paper crown and placing it over his top hat. He then happily placed a crown on Benson's head (although the gumball machine wasn't as thrilled). Everyone also grabbed a crown, even Skips and High Fives.

"Oh, Robbie why don't you sit in the throne and I'll take a picture?" Eileen said, smiling at her son. Mikey and Maddie giggled.

"Aw, come on Mom!" Robbie said, pouting a little, "I don't want my picture taken."

"But Robbie, it'll look so cute!" Margaret commented.

"Hey Maddie, why don't you get up there too?" Mordecai said.

"Huh?"

"Oh yes! A regular royal pair!" Pops said happily, "Good show!" Both kids blushed slightly at the 'royal pair' part, but decided against ruining the night by arguing. The two best friends walked up to the thrones and sat down, smiling widely. Eileen took the picture. Mikey and the twins took a picture in the thrones as well.

"Alright Lords and Ladies," said the master of ceremonies, getting everyone's attention, "The show shall start in ten minutes! Please begin to take your seats."

"Well, guess that's our cue," said Mordecai. The family of fifteen walked into the wide stadium and over to the red section. Instead of a normal dining room, it was a giant ring perfect for battle with a balcony for the king above it. Around the ring were rows of tables.

"Looks like we're going to get a show," said Margaret, sitting down.

"This is going to be awesome!" Rigby said, his tail twitching excitedly.

Benson looked at the menu. "Look at the food here. Roasted Chicken, spare rib, herb roasted potatoes..."

"Dude stop, you're making me hungry!" Mordecai said.

"I wonder if they'll give us any silverware," Eileen wondered out loud.

"Why would they not give us silverware?" Rigby asked.

"Oh, in medieval times, only royalty used silverware," Eileen explained.

"Peasants were hardly allowed to touch silver, let alone use it," Skips added.

"Great," said Benson, "Well, at least we have plenty of napkins."

The service was quick. Only ten minutes after ordering, the waitress brought them their food. And boy was it delicious! Even if their hands did get a little dirty, it was totally worth it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please?" The lights all dimmed, and a hush went through the crowd. "The show is about to begin. We welcome you to, Medieval Times!"

"Ohhhhhh!" Mordecai and Rigby hollered while the rest of the family cheered. Five knights ran through the gates, each a different color. The Red knight ran right towards them. They were in his section after all.

"Woo! Go Red Knight!" Maddie cheered. He did look pretty cool.

"Yeah! Red Knight rules, Blue Knight sucks!" Robbie added.

Rigby laughed. "Good one. Hey, what he said!" The Red Knight smiled at his section. In his hands were several roses. He tossed them out to his section, one landed right in Margaret's hands. He blew the scarlet bird a kiss.

Mordecai scowled a little. "Hey, just so you know she's married," he shouted. Margaret just giggled at him.

"Trust me, I already have a knight," Margaret said, smiling at the bluejay.

"Oh barf," Rigby commented. He quickly got a punch in the arm. "Ow! Why!"

After riding a few more times around the ring, the real show, a play about knights, a prince, a princess and a king, finally began.

It was really cool to see. Even Benson was getting into the show. The choreography was done perfectly, and it was really exciting.

After about an hour of performing, the show entered 'Intermission'. "I gotta go use it," Rigby said, standing up.

"I'll probably go too," said Mordecai, following Rigby to the restroom.

"Man, this place is even cooler than I expected," Rigby said to Mordecai.

"Yeah dude," Mordecai replied, "I have to admit, out of all the ideas you've had, this was one of your better ones."

"Thanks dude, I-" Rigby stopped walking and talking. He was looking at a certain door.

"Uh, Rigby," said Mordecai, "Restroom's this way."

"Yeah, I know," the curious raccoon replied, "I just wanna check something out first."

"Rigby!" Despite the protests of his friend, Rigby ran into the room. The bluejay groaned. "Rigby, come on!"

Mordecai went through the door and looked around. He saw Rigby standing in front of a mirror, already wearing a knight's costume. "Dude! What is wrong with you!"

"What? I just wanted to try one on," Rigby said, shrugging, "Aw, this is so cool."

"Yeah, it's cool, let's go!"

"Just a minute."

"Rigby!"

Just then, the door opened and the two turned to see who it was. It was a man, probably a manager or director, with a clipboard. "Okay, knights one, three and five are out, I just need numbers two and four." He looked up at Mordecai and Rigby.

'Oh, I can see where this is going,' Mordecai thought, 'He's gonna think we're the two missing knights and he's going to push us out there and...'

"Okay, you two obviously don't belong here," the manager said, obviously not impressed with the two, "Get out before I throw you out." With that, he left the room.

'Oh,' Mordecai thought in surprise, 'Well, so much for that cliche.' "Okay dude, we seriously need to go. We almost got thrown out."

"Wait dude," Rigby said, thinking, "That dude didn't think we were knights, but what if other people did?"

"What."

"Dude, he just said two knights were missing," Rigby said, smiling at his 'great' plan, "We just put on the helmets and bam! We're knights, no one would ever know!"

"... You know what? I take back what I said about this being a good idea."

"Oh come on man!" Rigby said, getting frustrated, "It would just be one fight. No one would know, and we could take our costumes off and get back to our table before anyone found out! What do you say, Mordecai?"

The bluejay still wasn't sure if this plan was as foolproof as Rigby claimed, but he did know 100 percent that Rigby wouldn't stop bugging him unless he did go out there. And even if he didn't go out there, Rigby would just go out there himself. Who knew what damage he could cause doing that.

"Fine," Mordecai said, "But just one fight. Hand me the costume."

"Yes!" Rigby fistpumped, and then grabbed one of the taller costumes. "Here, put this on! Hurry!"

When they finished getting dressed and putting their helmets on their heads, they were dressed as the Blue Knight and the Green Knight. "Attention, Ladies and Gentlemen! The show is about to begin!"

"Just try to blend in," Mordecai said, "Don't go starting a fight."

"Okay okay," Rigby snapped. The two friends walked out to the ring. That's when they noticed that all the other knights were on horses. Mordecai mentally facepalmed. They were so going to get thrown out.

But, surprisingly, no one walked up to them and tried to drag them towards the exit. All the other actors just went with it. "See, I told you no one would notice," Rigby said, smiling underneath his helmet.

The play continued with no bumps or mistakes. In fact, it was almost boring to the raccoon. He thought being a medieval knight would be a little more exciting. Where were the swordfights? The battles? The freaking dragon!

"Dude, this sucks," Rigby said finally, "Let's just bail." But just as Rigby was about to leave, a spotlight shone on him and the black knight a couple feet away.

"And so, the Green Knight challenged the Black Knight," the master of ceremonies announced, "In a battle, to the death!" The crowd cheered, yelling "Go Black Knight" or "Green Knights rule!"

"Hey, what are you waiting for?" the Red Knight said, "Get out there, Green!"

"Huh?" Rigby said, "Oh, right!" Mordecai had a feeling this was going to be bad.

The raccoon walked up to the center of the ring. The Black Knight looked at Rigby. Obviously, this wasn't his co-worker. But, he decided to have a little fun with this guy. "Pardon me, but aren't thou a little _short _to be a knight?" The crowd chuckled along with him.

"...Oh you are so dead." With that, he raised his sword and slammed the blade against the guy's head. It was fake sure, but it still hurt a little.

"What the heck are you doing!" the black knight shouted (losing his accent) as the black knight fans boo'd.

"I'm fighting, duh!" Rigby raised his sword again.

"Oh, so you want to play?" the knight asked, "Fine. Let's play!" The knight gave Rigby a hard kick to the gut. The crowd gasped.

"Rigby!" Mordecai shouted. Fake fight or not, that looked pretty real, and no one was allowed to hurt his best friend except him! With that, the bluejay charged into battle.

The king and the master of ceremonies looked at each other, confused. "Um, it seems the Green Knight's ally, the Blue knight, is assisting him in battle!" The crowd cheered even louder.

"Man, this is getting intense!" Robbie shouted.

"Dad doesn't know what he's missing!" Maddie added.

Mordecai let out a battle cry and swung his sword. Being an expert, the knight dodged and got his own blade ready. But not before Rigby tackled him to the ground. "Hey, two on one isn't fair!" the black knight shouted before punching Rigby away. Landing on the dirt covered ground, Rigby's helmet slipped off.

"Wait, is that...?" Benson said as he got a closer look at the so called 'knight'. "It is!" His gumballs turned bright red. He stood up and shouted, "Rigby, get up here right now or I'm locking you in the house for the rest of the trip!" But unfortunately, even Benson's loud voice couldn't be heard with all the cheers and shouts in the audience.

Margaret looked at the other knight, and noticed his hands were blue. "And that one's Mordecai!" she yelled.

"Sweet, our dads are knights!" Robbie said, smiling. He knew their moms and Benson would yell at them later, but for now, this was the coolest thing ever!

Loud action music was pumping through the speakers now. Raising their blades, Mordecai and the Black Knight fought, blocking each others move, the blades making a loud 'clink!' against one another. For being a rookie, Mordecai was actually pretty good.

"You got this Mordecai!" Rigby shouted, "Come on!"

Mordecai blocked a few more attacks, but then the knight stretched out his legs and did a sweep kick, knocking Mordecai off his feet and onto the ground. His sword clinked as it hit the ground. The crowd gasped.

"Mordecai!" Rigby shouted, "Hey, why don't you come over and fight someone with an actual weapon?" The knight turned and smiled.

"Alright," he said, "not that you know how to use that." Rigby then realized, he was right.

"Crap."

The knight ran over and swung his sword. Rigby barely managed to block it, almost getting his sword knocked out of his hands in the process. "Rigby!" Pops shouted, "widen your stance! Bend your knees!" Not only had Pops taken wrestling in school, but he was also in the fencing club. Sure, it wasn't exactly the same, but it still had the same fundamentals.

Hearing this, the raccoon moved his feet apart and bent his knees. Tightening the grip on his sword, he blocked the attack successfully, and even pushed the knight back a little. The raccoon smiled. It was his turn to attack now. "Mortal Kombat!" he shouted, swinging his sword. (A/N I'm actually listening to the theme as I write this)

The two engaged in battle while the crowd cheered. Standing up now, Mordecai smiled at his friend. "Yeah! Get him Rigby!" The two battled for a few minutes, and Rigby did have him on the run a couple times, but skill and experience won out in the end. With a few precise strikes, the knight pushed Rigby onto the ground.

"Get up! Get up!" the crowd shouted. Rigby quickly rolled out of the way and got back on his feet. As he did, he felt something hit his foot. He turned and saw that it was a sword. Mordecai's sword! He quickly picked it up.

"You can't use two swords!" the knight laughed.

"Hm hm, wasn't going to!" The raccoon tossed the sword up into the air, and Mordecai caught it by the handle perfectly. The crowd went wild. Even Benson, who was still a little mad at the two for disobeying him (again!) couldn't help but get up and cheer.

The bluejay and raccoon pointed their swords at the knight. With one last thrust, Mordecai stabbed the sword between the knight's arm and side. Feigning death, the knight fell to the floor, and the crowd cheered.

At that moment, the red knight who was looking confused since he was supposed to battle the black knight as the grand finale, came into the arena on a horse holding a lance.

"It is now time for the royal joust!" The king announced, "If one of you would please, get on the horse and engage in battle!" Translation: Get on the freaking horse and joust before we throw you out.

An employee walked a white horse over to the two. "Hey, have you guys ever rode a horse before?" he asked.

"Um no," Mordecai answered, "but we rode a mother duck flying about twenty feet in the air. Can't be much different right?"

"...Uh, right. Just get on the horse."

The two quickly got on the animal (the king mentally facepalmed. "I said, one of you!") and rode it over to the jousting bar. The Red Knight was already there. "Okay, I'll hold the lance," said Mordecai, "and you just, try to stay on the horse and watch for any tricks he tries to pull.

"Yeah yeah, let's just do this!" Rigby shouted. He kicked the horse's side and got it to start running. "LEROOOOOOY JENKINS!"

"Rigby!" Mordecai shouted. If it wasn't for the fact he was in the middle of a duel he would've punched the little furball. The two horses ran towards each other. The knights pointed their swords at one another. It was down to the wire. Who would be hit? Who would win? The horses got closer and closer until finally...

BAM! The red knight hit the floor. Mordecai quickly stopped the horse. He looked back at the fallen knight. "Holy crap. We actually did it!" he said, smiling.

"Yea-yuh!" Rigby shouted happily. The crowd cheered, with the family in the red section cheering the loudest. The two friends hopped off the horse, and Mordecai helped the knight up.

"That was a pretty good show for a couple of newbies," the knight said, his accent western instead of old English. He thought for a moment. "You guys do work here right?"

"Uh," Mordecai said.

"Well, we kinda," Rigby said, trying to think of a good lie. But the knight stopped them.

"You know what, it's cool," he said, "Just don't do it again."

"We won't." The master of ceremonies climbed onto his own horse and took center stage.

"We hope you all enjoyed the show tonight," he said, "and let us give one more round of applause for the brave knights." The crowd cheered loudly, while Mordecai and Rigby raised their swords in the air and hollered. "Ohhhhhh!"

"Remember your time here," the man continued, "and we hope to see you again soon, here at Medieval Times!" The crowd stood up on their feet and cheered while the knights all waved.

"Okay, I take it back," Mordecai said, smiling at his friend, "This was a _great _idea."

"Told you so," Rigby replied, "but, thanks dude."

Mordecai smiled. "No problem, Sir Rigby."

()()()()()()()()()()()

The kids couldn't stop talking about both the amazing show and their dads in the ring. As for the adults, they just couldn't stop smiling. It was a place they would definitely have to go to again.

When they got to the beach house, it was already half an hour passed sunset, but the kids were still full of energy. Besides, the street lights were on, so it wasn't like they would be running in pitch black darkness.

"Don't go too far from the house! And no going in the water!" Benson shouted after their parents allowed them to go run around on the shore.

"Oh, they'll be fine," Pops said with a smile. He glanced up towards the sky, hoping to see stars but instead seeing deep grey clouds. "Oh my, it looks like it may storm."

"Hmm," said Skips looking at the sky. He suddenly felt antsy, as if something was going to happen now...

"En Garde!" The three kept running and swinging the plastic swords they had gotten at the gift shop at each other. Laughing and feeling completely energized, the kids didn't notice just how far they were getting from the house until they noticed the lack of light.

"We should probably head back," Maddie said.

"Okay./If we have to," the two boys replied. As they slowly walked back to the house, they couldn't help but notice how wild the waves were getting.

"Wow, look at that one," Robbie commented, "that's the biggest one I've seen all week."

"I wonder why they're so big tonight," Maddie asked, "I mean, there's no full moon out. That's what causes giant waves right?"

"Actually, waves are caused by wind hitting the water," Robbie said, "But, there's no wind tonight. Or it could be caused by a-"

There was a crash of thunder, and rain started to come down. "Storm," Robbie finished.

"Nice going, loser," Mikey said, giving Robbie a shove.

"Oh yeah, like I can totally control the weather just by saying it," Robbie replied, shoving back.

"We better hurry," said Maddie. The three kids broke into a run. But it was hard, the rain made the sand wet, so they could barely move let alone run. What made it worse, was that the rain had went from drops to sheets in seconds. There were two more crashes of thunder and a huge bolt of lightning. If they could see, they would've noticed the waves were huge now.

"Robbie! Mikey!" Maddie shouted, looking around for any signs of her friends. The street lights must've gone out, because it was literally pitch black except for the cold, white drops of rain that pelted their eyes.

"Maddie!" she heard Robbie yell.

"I'm over here!" Mikey shouted.

"Everyone, just try to walk towards each other," Maddie said, "Keep making noise so we can find each other!" That was all she managed to get out before another crash of thunder.

Stretching out her wings, she tried to find any physical sign of her friends. Slowly walking forward, she eventually found two hands. One smooth and kinda plump, the other soft and furry. "Guys!"

"Maddie?" The three held on tightly.

"Robbie! Can you see the house!" Maddie asked/shouted.

"My glasses are so soaked, I can't see a thing!" the raccoon shouted back.

"Let's just keep walking!" Mikey yelled, "I'm sure we'll see it eventually. Besides, I bet my dad and Skips are out looking for us right now!" Since that was the best idea they had, they decided to do it.

But as they took small steps against the mighty storm, Maddie felt water pour onto her feet. Not just raindrops, but gallons. Like she was standing in the water. Listening, she heard the rushing sound of a giant wave. Turning her head slightly, she saw it. Fifty, maybe sixty feet tall! And it was coming up fast. They wouldn't have time to run away from it and get to a safe distance (if there was one, that thing looked like it could drown the whole beach!).

"Oh my God." She tightened her grip on her friends' hands. "Hold on guys!" She prepared herself for the hit. The water crashed into her like a car, sweeping her off her feet. The two hands slipped away, and she was surrounded by water.

Somehow, her head got above the water, but it felt like a challenge just to keep it there. "ROBBIE!" she shouted, as loud as she could. Before she could hear a response, a wave struck her from behind.

She saw water, and then darkness.

()()()()()()()()()

Her head was aching. A bright light blinded her, despite her eyes not being open.

"M-di-? Mad-ie? Maddie?" A voice, starting off soft and then getting clearer. It was Robbie's. She would recognize it anywhere. She still couldn't open her eyes, but she felt she had to respond at least to keep her friend from worrying.

"Robbie?" she mumbled. She heard a relieved sigh.

"Yeah," Robbie replied, "Mikey's here too."

Here. Where was 'here'. She started to take in her surroundings. It smelt like the ocean. She felt the ground underneath her. Sand. All sand. She groaned. "Don't tell me we're trapped on some desert island."

"Uh, close but not exactly." Feeling like she had to open her eyes now, she slowly did. The first thing she saw, was a fish swimming above her.

The water all around her was dark, with just a little light. It was filled with fish, but they were all outside what looked like a wall made of water. She looked all around, and saw that they were inside a dome made of water, sitting all the way on the ocean floor.

What was this place?

**Please review. I'll update as soon as I can :)**


	40. Chapter 40

**After 10 days off the computer (don't ask), homework assignments, seeing the new movie "Pirates: Band of Misfits" (twice, it was that good), reading the book the movie's based off of, and writing a bit of fanfiction for it:**

**Me: (in the middle of doing something) Well I... Oh crap I haven't updated 'It Runs in the Family' in like a month.**

**Rigby: Nice going.**

**Me: Oh be quiet. I'll get right on it.**

**Again, I'm really sorry this took so long to get out. Especially since I left the last chapter on a cliffhanger. But I promise to start updating regularly again. Okay? Okay. So, here it is. Hope you enjoy :)**

The ocean water seemed calm. The fish were slowly swimming, almost floating by. It was a cool atmosphere, and Maddie would've enjoyed it... if she wasn't busy trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

Sitting up straight, she looked around the dome. It was about twenty feet in diameter, and it looked as tall as the ceiling in the park house, maybe just a little taller. Hearing a groan beside her, she looked and saw that Mikey was waking up as well.

"Where are we?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"That's what we're trying to figure out, dude," Robbie replied, adjusting the glasses on his face ('How did those not get swept away?' Maddie thought in disbelief), "I just woke up like a few minutes ago. All I remember is getting swept away by that huge wave."

That's right, there was a giant storm and they had all got swept right off the shore. "But I thought we were separated," said Maddie.

"Well we're not anymore," Mikey interrupted, "So, let's just get the heck out of here."

Maddie scowled. "In case you haven't noticed Micheal, we're kinda at the bottom of the ocean floor, and I don't exactly see an elevator to the surface, do you?" The green boy just glared at her. Ignoring him, the violet bird continued looking around. "Besides, I'm not sure if we can even leave this dome," she added, looking at the surface of the dome.

It looked like plastic wrap, but with a thin aura of purple. Standing up, she began to walk over to it. As she walked, she couldn't help but notice how soft and cool the sand was, even softer than the sand on the beach. At one point, she thought she was walking on snow. When she got over to the side of the dome, she immediately felt a small surge of energy. It was like when you press your hand against a tv, or when you get a shock thanks to static electricity, only not as fast and painful.

Lifting a finger, she poked the surface. Holding her breath, she watched it ripple like when you drop a stone in a pond. After a few seconds, the dome stood still once again. "It felt like, poking jello," she commented.

Robbie ran over to her, and felt for himself. "For what it's worth, that is kinda cool," Robbie agreed, "Let's try to see if we can go through it."

"Okay." Flattening her hand, she pressed it against the surface (watching the ripple effect for only a couple seconds) and almost tried to push through the dome, but a pair of voices stopped her.

"Young lady, I wouldn't do that-"

"Unless you three really can breathe underwater."

"- In which case, be our guests."

"Who's there?" Robbie shouted, quickly turning around. He and Maddie looked around, but found no one.

"Yeah, show yourselves!" Mikey added, getting his fists ready for a fight.

"Well, if you three insist."

There was a flash of light, and a sound effect that sounded similar to the transporters on Star Trek. When the light disappeared, there were two figures now in the center of the dome.

At first, Maddie and Robbie thought they were their old friends from the cave, the water sprites. But looking closer, they were not water sprites, at least not the ones from the cave. First off, they weren't pixie size, they were about the size of elves. Second, they had the same body as a water sprite with a human torso and seahorse tail, but instead of wings they had fins on the top of their head and back. Finally, their eye color was a sea green with stunning blue eyes. They also looked slightly older than the water sprites in the cave.

"Who are you guys?" Maddie asked, "Why did you bring us here?"

"We wanted to protect you," said one of them, "You nearly drowned in the storm and it nearly found you. But we didn't want children to suffer, so we brought you here."

"Not that we're not extremely thankful because we totally are," Robbie interrupted, "But, where exactly is here and is it close to the California Coast?"

"We are about seven hundred miles from the coast," the other one replied.

"Uh, miles on the surface or miles from the surface to down here?"

"Both." The kids all held back a groan. They were so far from their family. How long had they even been down here? And did they have a way to get home?

"Children, I can sense that your energy is weak and you have many questions," said the first sea sprite, "Please, come with us and we will explain everything."

The three looked at each other. Did they have any other choice? "Alright, we'll go," Maddie replied, "Thank you."

"No trouble at all," the sea sprite smiled, "But first." Pressing a bluish-greenish hand against the bubble, he began to pull it like taffy, and created a small bubble. "Wear these, so you do not have to worry about air." He handed it to Robbie, and then created two more for Maddie and Mikey.

"Alright," said the other sprite, "grab on to us." Each kid grabbed a hand, and they were off.

()()()()()()()()

In a flash, the three were standing in front of a giant underwater city.

It wasn't made of shinning gold or filled with mermaids like you would see in cartoons. But that didn't make it anymore breath-taking. The buildings were all made out of coral or giant colorful plants, it was basically a bigger version of a coral reef. There were even fish swimming in between the swimming Sea Sprites.

"Cool," Maddie and Robbie said in unison, smiling.

"Eh, I've seen better," Mikey mumbled. Nevertheless, Maddie smacked him for it.

"This is our city," said one of the Sea Sprites, "It is simple, but still great. We are safe here, look." The three kids looked up, and saw that just above the city was a lighter version of the air dome, only this one you could barely see and had a bluish glow around it. "It may look weak, but it keeps out all enemies while letting in friends -" While he said this, a blue fish swam through the dome and went on it's merry way, "-and if we need to, we can make it stronger."

"Oh, we still haven't introduced ourselves," said the other sprite, "My name is Ervine, and this is my comrade Gamba."

"I'm Maddie," Maddie said with a friendly smile, "This is my best friend Robbie, and this is Mikey."

"Excellent," said Gamba, returning the smile.

"You may walk around the city and do as you please, but we ask you not leave it," Ervine said, speaking calmly yet in a dignified manner, "At night, we will teleport you back to the air bubble where you can sleep comfortably. We also left your weapon there."

"Weapons?" Robbie said.

"We don't have any-" Then Maddie remembered that they were playing with their plastic 'Medieval Times' swords before they got washed away, "Oh!" She laughed a little. "Well, those aren't really weapons, but thank you."

"So, how long are you gonna make us stay here?" Mikey asked, "We have to get back to the surface. We've only got like a week left of vacation."

"Well, even if it was safe for you three to travel, we don't have any way for you to travel such a long distance," explained Gamba, "But we can start building a transportation vehicle and have it finished before the week is through, perhaps in six days."

"Six days!" Robbie and Mikey said in unison (Maddie, surprisingly, didn't say anything).

"Normally, it would take two to three weeks," said Ervine, giving the two boys a look.

"But, I mean, can't you just teleport us to the surface or something like that?" Robbie asked.

"I'm afraid our powers can only be used to travel short distances," replied Gamba, "And even then it takes a lot of energy. I'm sorry you three were put into the predicament, but I assure you, we will try to make your stay here as comfortable as possible."

Robbie was disappointed, but he still thanked them. They were making sure they didn't drown after all, so thanking the two Sea Sprites was the least he could do. Mikey just pouted, mumbling a 'Whatever'.

"Wait," said Maddie, "What did you mean 'even if it was safe'?"

Ervine, who upon closer inspection did look a few years older than Gamba, looked up into the water. "You can tell by the shade, more storms are brewing. Waves are just as strong down here as they are up there."

_'You nearly drowned in the storm and it nearly found you.'_ "But earlier, what did you mean by 'It'?" the violet bird pressed on.

"Not all fish down here are nice," Ervine said simply. He then turned away from Maddie and looked at his companion. "Gamba, why don't you give them a tour of the city. I'll start on the plans for their vehicle."

"Right." Gamba put on a friendly smile. "Alright children, let's go. I bet you're hungry."

"You can say that again, bro," Mikey replied, his stomach growling as if on cue.

As the four walked, the young raccoon looked up at Maddie. "Hey, dude? What's wrong?" Robbie asked.

"Oh, nothing," Maddie replied. She wasn't one to get suspicious and start making wild speculations (there was already an older raccoon in the family that did that). But still, she felt as if there was something the Sea Sprites weren't telling them. Unfortunately, she couldn't really question it too much. They may've been keeping secrets, but they were also keeping them safe and fed, so Maddie wanted to stay on their good side. Besides, Gamba seemed pretty cool.

Gamba showed the three all around the city, from brightly lit restaurants to shady areas to relax. Everywhere you looked, you saw a rainbow of colors. Dancing anemones, swimming fish, waving seaweed, coral in all the colors of the rainbow. It was all, in a word, awesome.

None of the other Sea Sprites seemed suspicious or weary of the three, they all were friendly and nice. "I wonder if Skips knew about this place," Maddie wondered.

"If he did, he could probably teach a whole chapter about it," Robbie replied.

After an hour or so of walking, Gamba bought the three kids some food. It looked like a plate of rocks, but when bit into, they were as soft as marshmallows, and just as tasty. "I could eat these forever!" Maddie said happily.

"These are better than the fudge from the candy shop," Robbie added, stuffing another one in his face. Mikey didn't say anything, because his mouth was already too full to talk, not that the green boy cared.

Gamba just chuckled. "I'm glad you're enjoying them," he said, "The children here also enjoy them. You're not to different than them."

"How long have you guys lived here?" Maddie asked.

"Oh, about as long as we can remember," Gamba answered, "Coral takes about-"

"a year to grow anywhere from 0.8 millimeters to 80 millimeters to grow," Robbie answered. The three looked him, and Robbie turned away. "My mom packed a book about about coral reefs, so what?" he said, scowling a little.

"*Cough* Nerd *Cough*" Mikey said. A piece of coral bonked him on the head. "Hey!" Maddie and Gamba giggled.

"You're correct," Gamba told Robbie, "and judging by how tall some of our homes here are, we've been here a very long time. And why not? We're happy here, and it's about as close to perfect as we can get."

"But, how have divers and scientists not found this place yet?" Maddie said. Gamba made a face, but then quickly returned to smiling.

"Well, they say the best things are well hidden," the Sea Sprite answered, "We are 700 miles away from the coast and below the surface. Perhaps one day, humans will find our city. If they're anything like you three, we'll be glad to welcome them."

After their snack, the tour was finished and Gamba led them towards his favorite restaurant. Because fish lived in the city (some were even living as pets), sushi was definitely off the menu. But they did have edible coral, each with a different texture and flavor. There was also a seaweed salad, and the marshmallow-like coral for dessert.

When they exited the restaurant, the water was getting darker, not because of a storm brewing but because the sun was setting. "Well children," said Gamba, "I think it's time I lead you to your bubble. I'll be back in the morning to treat you three to breakfast, and then perhaps you can find other children to play with."

"Okay," the three replied. They had to walk a few more blocks to be close enough to teleport. Once they were close enough, they each held on to Gamba, and in a flash, they were inside the air bubble. They popped their 'helmets' and said good night to Gamba.

"This place is pretty cool," Maddie commented as she sat down on the soft sand.

"Yeah it is!" Robbie agreed, "did you see all the cool places? And all the fish, and plants. And we're probably the first people to ever see this stuff! We're so cool!" Maddie smiled at her friend, remembering how much he wanted to be an explorer and discover new places and things.

"The food's not too bad here either," Mikey added, "I just hope they get the submarine or whatever ready soon."

"They're working as fast as they can," Maddie replied, glaring at Mikey, "You can be a little grateful."

"I'm bein' grateful!" Mikey shouted back, "I'm just saying, I only have a week left of vacation, and I want to spend some of it up on the ground doing cool things with my parents and my godparent and my brother and sister."

The air was silent. "That's right," Robbie mumbled, "Our parents..." Despite their memories of being swept underwater being a little fuzzy, they still remembered about that night. Having such a wonderful time with their family, wanting to play on the beach a little longer. Their parents telling them to have fun and be careful, Benson saying something about staying clear of the water, and then Pops telling the gumball machine it would be alright.

What happened after they were swept into the ocean? Did their parents come looking for them? Were they looking now? Were they worried? Oh, of course they were. And that's what the three hated. They didn't want to make their families worried and upset. At that moment, no matter how cool the underwater city was, or how delicious the desserts were, they all just wanted to go back home and let their parents know they were alright.

"Hey guys, come on," Maddie said, trying to keep things positive, "Ervine said it would only take about six days. We'll be back on the beach before we know it. And besides, Skips is up there, he knows everything. He probably told our parents that we're safe and sound... in a giant air dome."

It was a bit of a stretch, but the three decided to believe it. "Yeah, good old Skips," Robbie said with a small smile. The three laid down, not caring about getting sand in their hair, fur or feathers.

"The moon looks all weird down here," Mikey commented, pointing up at the ceiling of the dome. The water was now a deep blue now, almost pitch black.

"That's probably just the dome making it look all weird," Maddie replied, "Right dude?"

Robbie didn't answer. He squinted at the moon, and then his eyes widened. "That's not the moon, that's a jellyfish! Can't you see it's tentacles?" Looking closer, it was indeed a jellyfish that was glowing a light blue, almost white color.

"Whoa," Maddie and Mikey said in awe. More luminescent fish swam over them, glowing brightly and floating around. It was like the Water Sprites show in the cave, only in slow motion and without a lot of ballet.

"Even the stars have nothing on this," Maddie commented. The bright calming glow of the fish combined with the soft sand made Maddie realize just how tired she was. Slowly, she started to close her eyes.

'I'll see you guys soon. Goodnight Mom and Dad,' she thought, before she closed her eyes and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

**Gamba: Male name. Means Water turtle or Warrior (the turtle thing is kinda ironic since he's the younger of the two)**

**Ervine: Male name. Means Green Water. **

**Just thought you guys would want to know ;) Sorry if this chapter was boring and not worth the wait. But I promise, it will get better and more exciting. I had to set up this city and introduce the new characters. Next chapter will have a little more action, and don't worry, I haven't forgotten about Mordecai, Rigby and the others. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this nevertheless. It was fun to get back to writing it again, and while I'm still going to be writing Pirates! fanfics, I'll still update this story at least once a week. Author's honor! **

**Also, yes, Eileen is pregnant. Originally I was just going to hint at it, but people kept asking so yes, she's pregnant :) I thought it would be a cute addition for the story. But that's all I'm saying, my lips are sealed. So, until next time, please review and have a nice day! **


	41. Chapter 41

**Hey everyone! Just thought I'd get this written as soon as possible before I had to start studying for finals (Just one week of school left! OHHHHHH!) Anyway, hope you all enjoy!**

The air felt wet, which was a given since they were underwater in a giant air dome. Still though, it felt strange and unfamiliar. In their own houses (and even the summer house they had rented) the air was always warm in the morning, making it even harder to get out of bed. But then they would all smell the familiar scent of ground up coffee beans and whatever Pops had decided to cook for breakfast. He would come downstairs ahead of all the other kids, and he would greet his parents and everyone else at the table...

Robbie sighed. Laying there, watching the fish above swim through the dark colored water. He felt trapped there. He enjoyed going on adventures and showing that he could do things himself, be he was still a kid. A kid who was missing his parents.

'You'll see them again soon,' Robbie told himself. He looked around. Maddie and Mikey were still asleep, but they would probably be waking up in a few minutes. Which meant Ervine and Gamba would be arriving soon. 'It sure was lucky they found out,' Robbie thought.

Suddenly, the raccoon's stomach growled. "Shut up!" he whispered. He heard a small giggle.

"Well, looks like someone's awake," said Maddie, opening her eyes slightly. She let out a big yawn. "Morning Dude."

"Morning," Robbie replied, "So, did you sleep at all last night?"

"Yeah, but it didn't feel like it."

"Same here," Robbie agreed.

"As soft as this sand is, it sure doesn't beat a nice warm bed," Maddie stated.

"Well, at least one of us got some sleep," said Robbie, looking over at the oldest member of the group. Mikey was snoring away, not as loudly as his dad, but still snoring. The two snickered.

Just then, they felt the presence of someone. They turned and saw Gamba smiling at them. "Good morning children," he greeted.

"Morning," the two replied. Gamba looked at Mikey, as if expecting the boy to at least stir from his sleep, but instead he just turned onto his side facing away from the Sea Sprite. Gamba sighed through his nose.

"Well, I suppose we can always come back for him later," Gamba said, "I would think you two would be ready for breakfast."

"Well, Robbie's stomach is," Maddie said with a smirk.

"Shut up," Robbie mumbled.

"Well, come on," Gamba said with a friendly smile, "Breakfast awaits." After getting two new air 'helmets' the two friends took one of Gamba's hands, and in an instant, they were standing in front of a buffet table.

"Where's this place?" Maddie asked.

"One of our grand halls," Gamba replied. He began to explain further. "While everyone has their own home and there are plenty of restaurants here, we still hold meals in the grand halls for anyone to attend."

"So, they're like town picnics or carnivals, where anyone can attend," Robbie said.

"Yes, I suppose that would be a good comparison. Now, eat up." The table was filled with seaweed bread (which was actually pretty good) and fruit, as well as soft coral and colorful juices that looked like Orange juice and Lemonade. The two ate breakfast quickly, and then excused themselves from the Grand Hall.

"So, what do we do now?" Robbie asked as he glanced around at all the buildings he saw the other day, and a few that he had missed.

"Well, let's go see if we can find some kids," Maddie suggested, "They'll know what to do for fun. Besides, if we're going to spend a week here we should at least make some friends." The two knew exactly where to start looking. After all, they were practically raised in one.

Remembering the places they passed with Gamba the day before, the two best friends eventually found the city park. While the whole city was filled with plants, the park was entirely covered with them! The seaweed fields were so thick and wide, it reminded them of the huge fields at the park back home. There weren't any oak trees, or sidewalks, or golf carts driving around. Instead, there were flowers and anenomies with fish swimming in and out of them. Lazy sea turtles relaxed in the warm patches of sand, and playing in the seaweed were Sea Sprite kids. Although, you could only tell they were kids by looking at their faces or hearing their voices, because they weren't that much shorter than the adults.

"Hey," Maddie said in a casual but friendly tone. The group of four turned to look at the two of them. They all had the same skin tone as Gamba and Ervine, but they all had different hairstyles. They were also wearing outfits that would be easy to play and run in. Luckily, the kids weren't discouraged by the differences between them and Maddie and Robbie.

"Hello," said a boy with hair about the same length as Muscleman's, "You two are from the surface right?"

"Yep," Robbie replied, "The waves were kinda rough, but other than that our time down here has been going swimmingly." The four sea sprites giggled at the joke, but Maddie just rolled her eyes.

"We were just wondering if we could hang out with you guys," Maddie said. The four kids looked at her, their faces blank. "Um, you know, play games with you and spend the day with you?"

"Ohh," the kids said, understanding now. "Yes, you can stay with us," said the long haired boy, smiling.

"But, wasn't there another boy with you?" one of the girls asked, the one who had her hair in pigtails.

"Still asleep," Maddie and Robbie answered in unison.

"Well, that's too bad," said a boy with short aquamarine hair, grinning from ear to ear, "because we're going to show you one of the most fun things to do here." The two best friends were curious now.

"What's that?" Robbie asked.

"Just a little turtle racing," the other girl, who had her hair in a tall bun resting on top of her head, answered. Maddie and Robbie gave them a look.

"Turtle racing?" Robbie said, "but, aren't turtles slow?"

"Yeah, they only move like five miles an hour," Maddie added.

"Perhaps on land," the long haired boy replied, "but down here, it's a bit of a different story. Come on, we'll show you."

The six kids walked across the park. In that time, Maddie and Robbie learned the kids' names. The boys were Dyfri (the long haired one) and Nerio (the short haired one), and the girls were Ama (pigtails) and Hinewai (bun, also the sister of Nerio). All four sea sprites were very nice, and other than not knowing a few phrases that were common on the surface, they were just like normal kids. The six seemed to connect instantly.

"Alright, here we are," said Dyfri. Maddie and Robbie looked out at the area in front of them. It was more open except for a few huge rocks, and there was a lot more sand. There were also several large sea turtles and there was a large piece of driftwood built to be like a ramp that was about five feet off the ground. "Here is where we race."

"You're going to launch them off a ramp?" Robbie asked in disbelief. The kids giggled.

"No, we just need a bit of a fall to catch the current," Ama replied, "Waves down here are like the ones on the surface. When the turtle goes off the ramp, he'll catch the current and get a little push, and a little speed. Once he gets that speed, he won't want to lose it, so even when he's off the current he'll swim fast. That, and the turtles know we give them treats at the end of the race."

Nerio and Hinewai were already over by their turtles, stroaking their heads and shells. "Maddie, Robbie, why don't you two take that one," Nerio suggested, pointing at a turtle who was munching on a piece of seaweed.

"Wait, you ride them?" Maddie asked.

"Yes, why wouldn't we?" Hinewai replied. She did have a good point. The Sea Sprites were so small, they probably didn't put too much weight on the turtles' backs. As for the two of them, Maddie was at perfect weight thanks to baseball, and Robbie was still small despite being an inch or two taller than his parents, so they could probably ride the turtles too.

The girls took one turtle while the boys took the other. It took a bit of coaxing and a bit of coral borrowed from Dyfri, but Maddie and Robbie got their turtle to the starting line too. "Alright, ready?" Dyfri asked the five of them. Everyone, including Maddie and Robbie, replied with an excited "Yes!"

The turtles inched themselves to the edge of the ramp. "Ready...set...go!" Each turtle moved off the ramp, catching the current as they did. Maddie and Robbie could feel it too. It felt like one of those giant wave pools at a water park. They both held onto their turtle's shell as it swam forward and continued at a great speed. Flipping it's arms forward, it looked like a penguin but moved as gracefully and quickly through the water like a silky seal.

Feeling the rush, Robbie let out a cheer while Maddie grinned. It almost felt she was back on land, the wind rushing through her hair and feathers. She couldn't help but let out a happy cheer herself. "This is so much fun!" she said as the turtle quickly dodged a rock that was in their way.

"But remember!" shouted Ama, who's team was about to get ahead of Maddie and Robbie, "It's a race!" With that, her turtle sped up, only leaving a few bubbles behind.

"How'd she make it speed up?" Robbie asked.

"I don't know," Maddie replied. She turned to her turtle. "Come on, just speed up a little. Okay?" The turtle didn't even notice her. It didn't slow down, but it didn't speed up either.

"If you win the race, we'll let you have all the coral you can eat!" Robbie added. That got the turtle's attention. Taking bigger strokes now, the turtle swam as fast as it could, eventually catching up to the Sea Sprites.

"Alright everyone, here comes the tube!" Nerio shouted. The girls let out a cheer.

"Wait, what's the tube!" Maddie asked. In the distance, a large cave started to appear.

"I think that might be it!" Robbie shouted (with a hint of sarcasm). Knowing exactly what it was, their turtle sucked it's arms into it's shell, and landed on the cave floor, letting itself and it's two passengers slide down the long cave.

Like a long dark hill, all three turtle slid down it, some of them even sliding on the walls. (It was a giant tube after all) Light from the holes in the cave ceiling flashed and blurred as the kids flew by. Maddie and Robbie couldn't stop cheering and laughing. It was just like sleding, maybe even better!

"I can see the opening!" Maddie shouted excitedly.

"Yes, but we'll get through it first," Dyfri taunted with a playful smirk.

"We'll see about that!" Robbie shouted, "Come on dude! We know you can do it! Go get that coral!" The sea turtle smirked, and stretched out it's arms. Thanks to the speed boost from the long hill, it's swimming was already fast. Now it seemed even faster. Practically flying past the other two teams, the three shot out of the cave and landed right in the sand, passed a sign that read 'End'.

"We did it!" Maddie cheered, not caring if she had sand in her hair again (she probably had so much in it already she didn't even notice).

"Nice job, Tony," Robbie said, patting the turtle's head. Tony smiled at the raccoon.

"Wait, Tony?"

"What? It's a good turtle name."

The other two turtles and their riders soon joined them at the finish line. They all congradulated Maddie and Robbie, and they all gave the turtles a well deserved treat, sitting down as the turtles ate. "You guys were right, that was fun!" Robbie said.

"Yeah, Mikey's gonna be sorry he missed this," Maddie added.

"Glad you two enjoyed it," Ama said, "We should show you two 'Shell Shot' next." They were about to explain what Shell Shot was when, the four Sea Sprites froze.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Maddie asked.

"Yeah, are you guys okay?" Robbie asked.

"Look at the water," Hinewai said, letting the quick water flow through her fingers. The two looked up. While they were racing, the water had gotten a lot darker. It was also starting to get a little rougher, pushing them instead of flowing with or past them.

"Must be a storm," Robbie said, "Gamba and Ervine said storms are just as dangerous down here as they are on the surface."

Hinewai opened her mouth, but Nerio stopped her. "We should get back to the city before the storm hits." Everyone nodded and stood up.

"Wait, what about the turtles?" Maddie asked.

"They'll be fine, they're strong and have a great shelter," Ama said, gesturing to the cave. With that worry gone, the six friends began to run towards the city.

()()()()()()()()

"Are you sure you have every boat out there searching!" ... "Yes! We've given you all the information we have!" ... "What do you mean you're going to stop for the day! Do you not understand me!"

Pops whimpered slightly, and began to play with his hands on his lap. If he were sitting on the floor, he would've brought his knees up to his chin and wrap his arms around them just like he usually did when he was upset. And he definitely had a right to be upset.

Three members of their family had been missing for nearly two days now. If it had been in their hometown and on land, it might not've been so bad. But they weren't. The three were swept out to sea, where they could drown or get attacked by a creature or... Pops bit his lip. He didn't want to assume the worst, but the lolliman just couldn't help it.

He heard Benson hang up the phone (more like slamming it on the reciever) and the room was silent once again, with only the sound of an old clock ticking away. The room seemed so dark, and not just because the weather had been cloudy ever since that night. Sitting on the opposite and adjacent side of Pops were Mordecai, Margaret, Rigby and Eileen.

Muscleman, who's friend was in the Coast Guards was out with him and HFG searching along side the rest of the coast guards. Skips was outside, and Starla was upstairs with her other two children, not wanting to leave their side for a minute. Benson had been trying his best to make sure everything had been counted for, making sure that police had all information about the three kids and keeping everyone updated on the search. It wasn't really enough for Benson though, he wanted what everyone wanted. To find three of their youngest members of the family.

The silence was deafening. Pops wanted someone to say something, and when it became evident that no one was going to, he stepped up to take the job. "Perhaps we should, um, call my father. I'm sure he would let us borrow his boat for the search."

Everyone looked up at Pops, but only Eileen spoke up. "That's very sweet, Pops," said the mole, "but Benson's already got the entire coast guard searching. It would be best not to get in their way."

"Oh." The lolliman fell silent again. He looked around the room for someone, anyone to say something. Finally, Mordecai opened his mouth.

"Hey, come on everyone," Mordecai said, "we shouldn't be just sitting here. It's okay for us to, you know, talk."

"About what?" Rigby asked. He had a point.

"It can be about whatever," Mordecai replied, "Just, let's stop sitting here like statues. We all know that they're fine, they have to be."

"How do you know, Mordecai," Margaret spoke up in a surprisingly cold tone.

"Well, Skips knows Death right?" Mordecai said, "So, if... something bad happened, Skips would know and tell us. Because he knows Death."

"Just because they know each other doesn't mean Death would feel like sharing," Margaret snapped, "and what if they're hurt. Would he know that, Mordecai?"

"I was just trying to make things..." Mordecai started to mumble but the cardinal interrupted him.

"Well, you're not Mordecai." The two birds looked at each other, almost glaring at one another.

"Um, guys," Rigby said, "This really isn't the time to be fighting and crap like that."

"I'll do whatever I want!" Margaret shouted, glaring at Rigby now, "And what I want to do is sit here!"

"Hey!" Mordecai yelled, "I know you're upset, but we're just trying to make things a little more bearable. You know, keeping a positive attitude?"

"Well it's kinda hard to keep a positive attitude when my daughter, my DAUGHTER, is in the middle of the ocean!"

"She's my daughter too, Margaret!" Mordecai shouted, "You don't think I'm worried! I am, I'm scared that I'm never going to see her again! But I still wanted to hold on to some hope and offer you some too!"

Margaret stared at the bluejay. Her eyes started filling with water, and she collapsed into the chair. "I'm a terrible person," she mumbled, covering her face. Anger melting away, Mordecai instantly walked over to his wife and wrapped a wing around her.

"No you're not," he said, "Look, I'm sorry."

"No, don't be," Margaret said, "I deserved it. I know you were trying to help. It's just, I'm so worried Mordecai." She felt so useless. She wished she could fly, that way she could look all over the ocean and the world for Maddie if she wanted to.

"We're all worried Margaret," Rigby said, getting the courage to speak up again, "But, I know my kid, I-I know Robbie. He's really tough, so is Maddie and Mikey. They've found a boat or island or something and are waiting. Just like we are."

"So we have to stay strong and hopeful," Eileen added, taking her husband's hand, "just like we know they are."

Mordecai looked at his wife, and gave her a soft smile. Wiping away the remaining tears, Margaret sat up a little straighter. "You're right, both of you," Margaret said, smiling the best she could, which was definitely a challenge. She was still just as worried, but she had just a little more hope now. And that was the only thing keeping her afloat at this point.

"We'll find them soon," Pops said, smiling hopefully, "I just know it, I can feel it. We'll find them, and celebrate and then enjoy the rest of our vacation.

"That sounds like a 'good show' to me," Mordecai commented. Everyone gave a small chuckle. Just then, Eileen placed a hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom. They could hear her start to gag. "What was that about?"

"I think she's just upset about Robbie," Rigby said, "or maybe she has the flu or something. I, uh, gotta go do something." Rigby then left the room. They all knew he was going to go help Eileen, even if he didn't want to say it out loud. The air in the room felt a little solumn again, but it didn't matter. Even with hope, it was going to stay that way until the kids were found.

Meanwhile outside, Skips was watching the ashened clouds float by. He sighed. In all his years on Earth, he never felt so useless. People in his life had passed away, many people in fact. But it was mostly from natural causes. This, this could've been prevented.

When the storm had hit, Skips as well as the rest of the guys in the family had tried to go out and get the kids, but the storm was just too powerful. They couldn't see in front of their faces, they could barely hear, and anytime they tried to shout or yell, their mouth was filled with sharp rain. Skips had been the last to give up and go inside. When the storm had lightened up, everyone ran out to search, but it was too late.

It looked like another storm was starting soon. The waves were already growing. The coast guard would have to cut the search today short. Another sleepless night, and another empty morning.

'Maddie, Robbie, Mikey,' Skips thought, placing a hand to his temple, 'Please, please be okay.'

Contrary to popular belief, Skips knew a lot but he didn't know everything. But he would've given up all his knowledge, and even his own immortality, to know that the kids were okay.

()()()()()()()

The waves were getting stronger. The streets were quickly emptying. "Do you guys know where we could find Gamba or Ervine," Robbie asked. The two Sea Sprites seemed like they were more higher up than most, like members of a councel or something.

"No, but we do know where anyone can find shelter," Dyfri replied, "Follow us!" The six of them ran through the streets and eventually found one of the Grand Halls.

"We'll have to go inside the main building since the hall is open," Ama stated. This was true, the hall was no more than an empty area with a roof over it and a large table with chairs. The doors weren't locked, so the six quietly slipped inside.

"So, what are storms like down here?" Robbie asked, curious to know how things like weather worked underwater.

"Mostly just stronger waves," Dyfri answered, "that can sweep you off your feet and carry you away if you're not careful. They can even destroy buildings."

"So they're more like underwater tornadoes," Maddie commented.

"Tornado?"

"Um, I mean... hurricanes. Underwater hurricanes." That sounded like a better comparison anyway.

"So, how long do you think we'll have to stay here?" Robbie asked. The four sea sprites just shrugged their shoulders.

Maddie looked around the dark room. Usually when there was a storm, she would just wrap herself up in a blanket and turn on a lamp. She couldn't very well do that underwater. "Is there anyway you guys can make it a little brighter in here?" she asked politely.

"Hmm, I think we can," said Dyfri. Even in the dark, she could see him clasp his hands together. His hands started to glow with a blue aura. Opening his hands but keeping his fingers together, he made a glowing circle. Moving his hands up, the circle stretched out and eventually left Dyfri's hands. It was a glowing bubble.

After making several more, the room was just as bright as if they had used candlelight. Only glowing bubbles, practically floating lamps, were a lot cooler. Since it was brighter, Maddie and Robbie were able to look around.

"Since the Grand Hall is used for outside dining, the rooms inside are mostly storage," explained Ama, "but we do have a few rooms here that are used for more than that. We also have a few grand pieces of art for people to look at after they eat if they wish."

"What, like this?" Robbie said. The five looked over at the raccoon and saw what he was pointing at. It was a large, stained glass picture of the city.

"Whoa," Maddie breathed, walking up to it to get a closer look.

"So we went into this Grand Hall," Dyfri mumbled, almost in a 'I'm-in-so-much-trouble' tone.

"Wow, this is amazing," the violet bird said, running her hand against the smooth, cold glass, "This must've taken years to make and put together."

"I read somewhere that glass is made out of heated sand," Robbie stated, "So I think they had a lot of material to work with."

Glancing up a little, she noticed a glowing bubble floating by the ceiling. It's light reflected against something... Maddie froze. Walking away from the city picture, she looked up at this new picture.

It stood tall and grand, with only dark colors and black pieces of glass. Getting a closer look, the figure in the picture was long and curvy like a snake, with many edges. But the thing that made Maddie froze wasn't the body.

It was the piercing yellow eyes.

**I don't feel like this was my best, but I still hope it was enjoyable. I really do like writing the scenery for this place, it's a lot of fun and it's interesting where I take it. I feel like I could've done a little better with the action and emotion though. I mean, I worked hard on it but it feels like something's missing. I don't know, maybe it's just me. If you guys have any constructive criticism, feel free to say so, I'll gladly accept it (Just make it _Constructive_). **

**I hope you're all still enjoying the story, I've got some pretty interesting stuff coming up in the story, and I hope you'll all stay tuned! Please review, and have a nice day!**

**Also, in case anyone cares: **

**Dyfri - means water, Welsh origin, male**

**Nerio - means water, Greek origin, male**

**Ama - means water, Native American origin, female**

**Hinewai - means Water Maiden, Maori origin, female**


	42. Chapter 42

**Thank you everyone who's reviewed. I'm glad you guys are still liking the story. Okay, here's number 42!**

"Maddie?" Robbie asked, looking at his stunned friend, "What's wrong?" She looked freaked out, while at the same time calm. It was weird for the raccoon to describe. But one thing was for sure, he knew that something was wrong, at least in Maddie's eyes.

The violet bird didn't respond. She just kept looking at the yellow eyes on the picture. They were so sharp, so cold. They flashed in her memory quickly, and then again but this time the eyes were a bit softer and not quite as angry.

"Robbie, have we ever seen something like this before?" Maddie finally asked, "Like, maybe it was one of the monsters at the park, or Skips showed us a picture of it?"

"I don't think so," Robbie said, looking more closely at the picture, "Wow, this thing is huge. I bet it's at least thirty feet long. Maybe even bigger."

"Much bigger," mumbled a voice. The two friends turned around, remembering the four Sea Sprites were still in the room with them.

"Wait, you've seen this thing before?" Maddie asked.

"No, but we know of it," replied Dyfri.

"Then-" Before Maddie could ask another question, they all heard the door open.

"Children?" cried a familiar voice.

"Gamba!" Robbie said. Gamba, as well as Mikey and Ervine quickly found them.

"It's good to see you all made it out of the storm," Gamba said, giving them a relieved smile, "We had to go and make sure you were all out of the air bubble, and we found Mikey still asleep."

"You slept in that late?" Robbie asked, almost in disbelief.

"Hey, swimming makes me sleepy alright?" Mikey snapped, obviously not in a happy mood.

"Gamba. Ervine." The two elder Sea Sprites looked up, and saw Maddie pointing at the stained glass picture of the creature. "What is this thing?" she asked. She added in a small glare. "And don't say it's nothing."

Looking concerned, the younger Sea Sprite looked at Ervine. He gave him a nod of encouragement, and Gamba turned back to Maddie. "That's a Waverent. A strong creature that can create strong storms, whirlpools and tsunamis."

Whirlpools. What they saw before they went under. Storms... "So that's what's creating the storm, if this is even a storm," Maddie said, "It could just be another lie."

"We weren't trying to lie to you," Gamba insisted.

"Waverents are powerful creatures, we didn't want to worry you," Ervine explained. He was still a lot calmer than Gamba, but that didn't mean he didn't still care.

"So what, you were just going to let us go up to the surface and hope we don't get attacked by it?" Robbie asked. He was starting to get just as mad as Maddie.

"I know you think we're just kids," Maddie said, "But Robbie, Mikey and I have all seen tons of monsters, weird creatures and dangerous stuff, sometimes all in the same year! And that's not even half of the stuff our dad's have seen! But even if that wasn't true, the one rule in our family is to never lie. Not everyone in our family is the most skilled, or strongest, or old enough to fight. But whenever something happens, no matter what, we all always know what we're up against."

The two Sea Sprites were silent. The four kid Sprites and Mikey looked back and forth between the two duos, wanting to see what would happen next. Finally, Ervine took a step forward. "We hope you accept our apology," he said, bowing a little. Gamba looked at him in surprise. "You are right, we should have told you. We assure you, there will be no more secrets."

"Thank you," Maddie said, not smiling but not as angry as before, "We really appreciate it."

"Now, I suspect you all want to know more," Ervine said, looking at the two best friends and Mikey. Maddie thought for a moment. She had more questions about the Waverent. How powerful was it? Was it the one that started the storm that dragged them under? What did it want with them?

But, Maddie thought better of it. This wasn't really the time. Besides, there was a more important question to ask.

"Since we know that we're going to be swimming in the same water as this thing," Maddie started to say, "Can we see what we're traveling in?"

()()()()()()()

As soon as the 'storm' calmed down, which only took about twenty minutes, the two Sea Sprites led the three friends to another building. The Sea Sprite kids had all decided to go home, but they wished the three of them good luck.

The building, like all the others, was made of coral. But there was a lot more driftwood around it, and there were no windows. Walking into the building, they saw it was much more busy on the inside. It was filled with wood and metal, with every sprite in there working.

"What is this?" Mikey asked, "a workshop class?"

"This is our inventing area," Ervine answered.

"Coral is nice," Gamba commented, "but we know we'll need to adapt without it eventually, and what better time than the present."

"What do you build down here?" Robbie asked, his curiosity showing.

"Mostly ways of transportation and small inventions to use in everyday life," Gamba answered, "nothing too fancy yet."

The group walked across the room, being careful not to bump into anyone or any inventions. When they reached the back of the room, they found another door. Inside, they saw five builders and a huge structure made out of wood in the middle of the room.

Seeing who it was, the five builders quickly stepped aside and revealed their work. "It's a submarine!" Maddie said.

"Cool!" Robbie grinned. The only submarine he had been on was a fake one at a theme park when he was little, and even then it was lame. The three all walked up to get a closer look. The body was done, but there weren't any propellers built yet and there was a rectangular hole in the front of the sub.

"How far have you gotten?" Gamba asked one of the workers.

"Halfway through," the lead builder replied in a gruff voice, "We want to try and make sure there's no chance of leaking since it'll be carrying air breathers."

"Then, why are you putting in a window?" Everyone turned to look at Robbie. Ignoring the stares, Robbie continued. "Glass, if it's the thick 'submarine window' kind is just as heavy as wood, and it's breakable. So why put it there? Make the whole thing wood, and then add in a scope on the top. You get a 360 view and it's lighter."

The builders all blinked in shock. A kid knew all this?

"Wow, even submarines?" Mikey said, "Is there any book you haven't read, nerd?"

"I haven't read any of the 'Twilight' books," Robbie replied, "and trust me, they aren't going to be on my 'Must Read' list anytime soon."

"Robbie," Ervine said, getting the raccoon's attention, "Perhaps you can help build the transport, you certainly know how."

"Really?" Robbie asked. Not only would he be riding in a submarine, he would be building one!

"Come on, Robbie," Maddie said, smiling at him. She looked up at the builders. "This guy knows all the things you need to know, trust me. He'll help you get this sub running in half the time." Robbie blushed slightly, but shook it off and tried to look a little more mature.

"Well, if you know you can help," the lead builder said, "then you can be on the team." Robbie smiled, his tail swishing back and forth happily.

For the next four hours, Robbie and the other builders redrew the blueprints and put together the new sub. Maddie and Mikey helped by measuring pieces (although that was mostly Maddie's job) and cutting pieces of wood.

By the time Dinnertime rolled around, they were nearly done. While Mikey was more than ready for a break, Maddie and Robbie wanted to stay and finish. "Please, we're almost done!" Robbie pleaded.

"Yeah, if we finish it tonight, we could be leaving tommorow morning!" Maddie added.

"Sorry children," Gamba said with a small smile, "but our builders our the best, and you-" He looked specifically at Robbie "helped them out a lot today. They'll get it finished as soon as they can. Now go enjoy your night."

"Alright," the two said. With that, Gamba closed the doors to the building.

"Well, I'll see you guys later," Mikey said as soon as the doors shut, not even bothering to stick around for a reply, "I'm gonna go grab something to eat and then see if I can have a little fun around here."

"Just watch yourself, dude," Maddie called after him, "Don't do anything stupid."

"You know who else isn't going to do anything stupid? My gran-" They didn't hear the rest, they walked away before they could, rolling their eyes and ignoring the obvious punchline.

Finding the restaurant they ate at with Gamba on their first full day underwater, the two best friends ate and chatted away. Once they were finished eating, since all the other buildings were starting to close, they found a place in the park and started a game of 'Shell Shot'. (Although, since the Sea Sprite kids never said how to play it, they made up their own version)

"Okay, off the tree, hitting the rock, and landing in the seaweed," said Robbie. The raccoon picked up his shell and threw it. The small blue shell hit the base of the tree, bounced off the rock, and landed in the seaweed. "Ohhhh!"

"Hm, don't celebrate just yet," Maddie said with a smirk. She threw her own shell, and it did exactly the same thing. "Okay, my turn. Hit any part of THAT tree over there." She pointed a tree that was a good ten feet away.

Throwing the shell like a baseball, the violet bird threw the shell and hit the tree, nearly smashing the pink shell.

"Anyone who plays baseball can do that," Robbie said, trying not to look impressed. He lined up his own shot, but unfortunately it was too short of a throw and landed a foot in front of the tree."

"Hm hm," Maddie grinned, "Looks like you just earned yourself an 'H'. S-H-E-L-L S-H! Two more letters and I win!"

"Don't look so proud," Robbie said, "My throws have actual skills, yours our just strong."

"Well, you're pretty strong too," Maddie said, holding back a giggle, "even with your skinny arms."

"Who are you calling skinny, Sticks-for-legs," Robbie replied, smirking.

"Hey, my legs aren't that skinny!"

"Hey, I'm not judging. I hear the scarecrow look is in this fall." The raccoon felt a push and fell to the ground.

"That was for the scarecrow comment... Furball." Robbie lept up and tackled Maddie, pushing her to the ground. Both of them started running around, chasing each other and trying to push the other down. Finally, they both ended up falling in the seaweed, laughing and smiling.

It took a few minutes for them to calm down and start laughing, but even then they were still smiling. They both looked up at the ocean sky. Fish swam by, little bubbles floated around and popped. If they looked hard enough, they could even see the sky above the water. It had an orange-purple hue. It probably looked beautiful above the water, but below it was almost as if someone spilled orange and grape juice, and just smeared it all together when they tried to clean it up.

"It's hard to believe we've only been down here a few days," Maddie stated, "it feels like it's been longer."

"I know," Robbie replied, "but at least we're going home soon. I mean, this place was awesome and fun and we're the first ones to ever seen this place but-"

"Yeah," Maddie finished, "I miss home too. But we're going to get there a lot faster, thanks to you furball."

Robbie blushed a little, but smiled. "No problem, featherhead." They gave each other a punch in the arm and then laid still. "So, are you worried about Waverent?"

Maddie didn't answer right away. "Maybe a little," she answered truthfully, "But, I'm sure we'll be fine. I mean, we've fought bigger monsters before. We've even fought Cthulhu and survived. Once you've done that you're pretty much guaranteed you can win any fight."

Robbie smiled. "Yeah, I guess you're right." The two laid in the seaweed for a few more minutes and then decided to call it a night since the water was getting darker.

As soon as Gamba teleported them inside the air bubble, they were practically frozen. "W-why is this bubble so cold?" Maddie asked.

"It might be a-an effect from the storm," Robbie thought. Being a small dome with just enough strength a bubble, it probably wasn't well insulated.

"It's not cold," Mikey said, "I think it's fine. Maybe I'm just tougher than you, Sixth graders."

"Or maybe we just don't have as many 'layers'," Maddie mumbled, making Robbie and herself giggle.

"What was that?"

"Oh, nothing."

As the evening fish and brightly glowing jellyfish started to appear, Maddie and Robbie laid down to go to sleep. That, was practically impossible. Robbie shivered, holding his tail and his body tightly. 'Maybe I should make a burrow or something,' he thought, 'that might keep me warm.'

But before he even had a chance to try, he heard someone sit up and crawl over to him. The figure laid down and Robbie could feel something soft, almost like... feathers. "M-Maddie?" Robbie asked, his face getting hot.

"Just be quiet," Maddie said, trying to ignore her own blush, "We were both freezing so this was the best option." Her voice became softer, a little more caring. "Now go to sleep, okay Robbie?"

"... Okay." With that, Robbie scooted a little closer to Maddie.

As the two laid close to each other, they eventually fell into a peaceful sleep. Sure it was awkward, and it was going to be even more awkward in the morning. But even so, neither one of them wanted to move away from the other.

()()()()()()()()

"Alright, we are ready to depart."

Ervine and Gamba, as well as a couple builders who were going along to steer it and made sure nothing went wrong, were all on board the submarine already.

"Those guys weren't kidding when they said they were going to build it as fast as they could," Maddie said.

"Yeah," agreed Robbie, "and look, they used my cupholders idea!" Maddie looked at him. "What? They're not going to just throw it away after we're done, they're going to use it again and I was just saying that they should have cupholders."

"Alright, let's get out of here before the rest of our vacation goes by," Mikey said, walking past the two and climbing aboard the sub.

"Thanks for letting us go turtle racing with you," Maddie said to Dyfri and the others, smiling at them.

"You're very welcome," Dyfri replied, smiling back.

"Good luck on your trip," added Ama.

"Thanks," Robbie replied, "Oh! And say hi to Tony for us!"

After saying goodbye to their four new friends, Maddie and Robbie got into the sub. "Finally," Mikey mumbled. The two just rolled their eyes and ignored him.

The sub was actually a pretty good size. Everyone had their own personal space, and while Maddie had to crouch a little since she was the tallest, the sub was still comfortable and not crowded. The wood looked very strong and sturdy. In the front, there was a wheel that looked like it belonged on a ship. The wheel would steer the ship by changing the direction of the fins. There was also a small system that pulled vines to make the propellers spin. On the ceiling, there was a scope system where one of the builders could look out and tell the sprite who was steering what was in their path and what direction to go.

As soon as everyone was inside, the water was pushed out (thanks to the teamwork of Ervine and Gamba) and they were ready to go.

"This is so cool!" Robbie grinned, hardly able to sit still. Maddie just giggled at him.

"Calm down, dude," she said, "We've got a couple hours at least, so just sit back and try not get over-excited."

"Oh, you can't tell me you're not excited too," retorted Robbie.

"Yeah, but at least I know how to control it."

As the submarine continued, the trip became more and more monotonous. It was like a long car ride, but there was no radio or windows, so it was worse than a car ride. While the Sea Sprites were awake and alert, the kids were quickly starting to get bored.

Quietly so they wouldn't disturb the driver and the scoper, the three played a few rounds of Rock, Paper, Scissors. Once that got boring, they started to fall asleep one by one.

"Children." The three bolted up, looking around.

"Wha? What is it?" Maddie asked, looking at Gamba.

"I just wanted to let you three know that we are about a third of the way there," Gamba replied.

"A third of the way to the surface, or a third of the way to the shore?" Robbie asked, still sleepy.

"Both."

"Awesome." With that, the raccoon fell back asleep. Maddie giggled a little. Deciding that she should get back to sleep too, the violet bird set her head back on her seat. But as she did, she felt a small shake. At first she thought it was just her imagination. But as she sat still, she felt the submarine start to rock, as if it were one of those inflatable punching bags and someone kept pushing it one way, but it refused to tip over.

"What's going on?" Mikey asked. Robbie had noticed too and was wide awake.

The sprites looked nervous, but calm. "Do you see anything?" Ervine asked, looking up at the Sprite who was looking through the scope.

He quickly looked all around. "I don't see anything," the sprite answered, "We could've just hit a current, or maybe-"

BOOM!

There was a huge hit from the right side. A shove so strong it knocked nearly everyone to the floor. Ervine and Mikey had managed to hang on to their seats, but that didn't make them any less scared.

The seven travelers looked at each other. No one bothered to ask what hit them, they knew what it was, even the three kids who didn't know much about the creature. The submarine was filled with deadly silence.

The only noise was the small stream of water that was leaking in through in the lower right corner of the sub.

**Oh boy.**

**Don't worry about the fact I barely explained what the Waverent was, you'll find out more about it soon (I always hate it when in stories they have several long paragraphs of exposition in one chapter when it could easily be spread out throughout several chapters. It gives more time to the characters, and it's a lot less rambley). **

**Please review. I just have four more finals this week and then it's summer! In the middle of June I'll be gone for a week at a summer class, and then the first week of August is marching band boot camp (lol), but other than that I should be writing all summer. So, I hope you all keep reading and keep enjoying. **

**I'll see you all next time! **


	43. Chapter 43

Maddie looked at Robbie. Robbie looked at Mikey. Mikey looked at Maddie. All three of them looked at Gamba and Ervine. Unfortunately, they looked just as worried as the kids were.

"Well, what do we do now?" Maddie asked.

"How do you guys usually defend yourselves against the Waverent?" Robbie asked, "Like, do you create shields and hurl them at it, or do you have a weapon or..."

"We don't usually try to attack it," Gamba answered.

"What! You've known about this thing for years and you never tried fighting it!" Mikey shouted, "Either you guys are super weak or you're really stu-OW!" Maddie slapped Mikey and gave him a glare before looking back at the two sea sprites.

"So, if we're not fighting, what's the plan?" the violet bird asked.

"Retreat," Ervine answered, "We'll go back, make repairs and redesign some of the sub. Hopefully we will be more prepared in a week or so."

"What!" the three kids shouted.

"You mean we're not even gonna try to escape?" Robbie asked, "Guys, if you just make us some air helmets we can swim the rest of the way ourselves if you don't want to fight it."

"Absolutely not," Ervine said sternly, "you three may have dealt with creatures on land, but this one is too much for you to handle."

"But can't we at least try?" Maddie asked, "I mean, there's only a small leak." Sure, there was at least an inch of water on the floor, but it was still a small leak. They could probably go at least another mile before it got too heavy. "Please, can't we just-?"

"I know you three are frustrated," Gamba said calmly, his eyes filled with concern and caring for the three kids, "but the Waverent is just too dangerous right now. It's unpredictable, it's strength is enormous-"

"So is the ocean but we've survived in that pretty well!" Maddie retorted.

"All we're asking for is a chance to try and escape this thing," Robbie added, looking determined.

The elder sea sprite's face remained stoic. "You three are not going anywhere. We are not providing you with the air helmets, and you can't hold your breath that long."

Maddie and Robbie looked at each other. He had a point. They had the determination, but the sprites had the magic. Without their help, they wouldn't be getting anywhere close to the surface.

THUD! The sub shook again, not as strong of a hit as last time, but it made a little more water leak into the sub.

"You know what," Mikey said, glaring at the sea sprites, "Screw this!" With that, the green preteen walked over towards the door of the sub and placed his hand on the handle.

"Mikey!" Maddie and Robbie yelled, running over to Mikey and grabbing his arm.

"Are you nuts!" Maddie shouted, "We don't have air helmets!"

"We'll drown if we open that door without them," Robbie added, "the water would rush in so fast that we wouldn't even have enough time to take a good deep breath!"

"They wouldn't let us drown!" Mikey retorted, "Besides, if they're not gonna try to fight this thing, I am! They may not care if we live down here forever, but I do! My parents, my bro, my sis, they all think I'm missing and probably drowned. And they're not the only ones!"

Maddie and Robbie weren't sure if they had ever seen Mikey this upset before. Out of all the temper tantrums he had thrown, all the times he had gotten upset, even when they found out about his crush on Taylor, they were nothing compared to this. They weren't sure if Mikey wasn't going to start crying or screaming or breaking things, or maybe even all three.

"I miss being with my folks, and my sibs," Mikey said, "I want them to know I'm okay. I want to go back to my awesome vacation. And I'm sure not gonna let some lame sea monster and some wussy sprites stop me. So are you two coming with me? We do still have that truce thing after all, so I would have your backs."

The three friends looked at each other. The sub was silent once again. Despite being completely different, they all wanted the same thing. To go home, and be with their families. Let them know they were alright, to be safe in a warm house on dry land.

In all the years they had known each other, the three never felt closer than they did in that moment.

"We've got your back too, Mikey," Maddie said, giving him a small smile.

"Yeah," Robbie said, smiling as well, "which means we're all gonna get back home."

"Then you'll need these." The three felt wind surround their heads. Without seeing it, they knew that they were wearing air helmets. They turned to look at Ervine. His eyes were softer now. He then looked at Gamba, who was as surprised as the kids. "You and I will go out with them and make sure nothing goes wrong."

He turned to the builders. "Try to keep a lookout for it. We want to try and stay in here as long as we can." That was the whole reason it was built after all. The sprites could have led the three to the surface, but wood would protect them, at least for a while. "When the submarine is no longer useful, we will leave it and swim as far as we can." He turned his head sharply to look at the kids. "But at the first sign of trouble, if any one of you gets injured, we will turn back and head towards the city. Understand."

"Yes," the three said in unison. Silently, Ervine gave a nod to the driver, and he started up the motor.

"I wonder why he agreed to let us go," Robbie asked Maddie.

"Because he saw how much you three longed for your home and family." They looked at Gamba. He was smiling softly at them. "He also saw how close you three were. He knows that you are all strong, both physically and emotionally. He wouldn't have continued this plan if he didn't." The younger sprite. "But please, be careful. There is a difference between bravery and foolishness."

With that, the sub became silent once again, with only the sound of sea water swishing between their toes and the sound of the propellers turning.

After a few minutes, the sub was hit again, but no stronger than the last hit. Since they were expecting this, the kids didn't shout or cry out. They just sat still, their faces still yet determined.

"You ready?" Maddie whispered to Robbie.

The raccoon nodded. "Definitely. You?"

"Yeah." They weren't going to let this thing defeat them. No way.

After about twenty two minutes and three more hits, the water was above their laps and was rising quickly. The propellers were in overdrive but the sub was barely moving. It was time to go. The five of them stood up and walked over to the door. Taking the lead, Ervine placed his hand on the door. He waited just a moment, and then opened it.

Since the sub was mostly filled with water, the rush of water wasn't too strong, but they could still feel it's strength pushing them back a little. Ignoring it, they swam out. "Don't waste time looking around," Ervine ordered, his voice calm but strong, "start swimming up." The elder sprite swam in front of the kids while Gamba swam behind them.

The water felt ice cold. Maddie bit her lip, Robbie's tail shivered and twitched. Mikey, despite his best efforts to hide it, looked freaked out but tried to keep from looking for the monster. The low growl echoed through the water, making the three stop dead in their tracks.

"It's alright children," they could hear Gamba say, "just keep swimming, keep your head forward and-AHH!" The three looked and let out a scream. A black snake head was flying towards them like an ebony arrowhead. The five barely had time to dodge.

The creature turned around and looked at them. Its' skin was just like the stained glass picture, pitch black. Its' fins were pointed and deadly, and its' scales shone menacingly. Its' sharp yellow eyes stared them down as it slowly swam by, like a cat crouching in front of its' prey. Its' nostrils flared, taking in the unfamiliar scent of the land creatures.

"Ohmanohmanohman," Mikey whispered, practically hyperventilation. The creature looked huge, about three times bigger than the stained glass picture (which Mikey had thought was it's actual size). He knew the creature was supposed to be strong, but this thing looked like it could wipe how the whole underwater city and then some. No wonder they had a giant shield protecting them.

Robbie mentally ran through all the underwater creatures he had read about. None seemed as deadly looking as this one, not even the sharks. He gulped and slowly moved back.

Maddie couldn't stop staring at the face of the Waverent. Sure, his eyes looked deadly, defensive, but there was something else. Where had she seen this thing before? She looked at the rest of the face, and stopped at its' nose. Unlike the rest of the body, its' nose was a greyish color. It could have been a trick of the light, although Maddie wasn't sure if a beam of sunlight strong enough to make black look grey could shine down this deep in the water.

Then, it hit her.

_"Well, maybe it's just homesick or something." She looked back at the eyes. They weren't deadly or ferocious, just defensive. "Aren't you going to come out?" she said quietly, looking straight into the eyes of the creature._

_A moment past. Half a minute passed. Finally, after almost a full minute or staring down the creature, Maddie noticed it's eyes get softer. Slowly, it swam towards the light. She could see the very tip of a grey snout..._

"The pet shop!" Maddie shouted, then quickly covered her beak with her hands.

The Waverent roared and shot towards Maddie like a black bullet. "Maddie!" Robbie shouted. The raccoon grabbed her wing and swam down. He felt a fang just barely slice his tail.

"What'd you do that for!" Mikey shouted. "Now it's attacking us!"

"It was probably going to attack us no matter what we did!" Maddie said in her defense, "Now come on!" The three quickly started swimming towards the surface. But like the sunset on a flat plain, the further they swam, the farther the surface seemed.

"Sir, what's our plan?" Gamba asked as the Waverent started to turn around.

"Try to hold it off," Ervine replied. He cupped his hands and formed a glowing yellow bubble. He hurled it at the creature, and missed by at least a foot. But then again, the Waverent wasn't exactly his target.

The yellow bubble flew past it, catching the Waverent's eye. As it tried to catch its' new prey, Ervine turned to Gamba. "Keeping making those for as long as you can. I'll swim with the children." He knew that shiny balls of light weren't going to hold its' attention forever, but they might give them enough time to escape.

Back with the three kids, they were slowly starting to lose their stamina. If they were in any other situation, they would've complained that their arms or legs felt like they were about to fall off. But with a giant sea serpent just a few yards behind them, they just wanted to concentrate on swimming.

"How are they doing?" Maddie asked. Robbie and Mikey glanced back.

"They're distracting it!" Robbie answered, "and doing a pretty good job!"

"Then don't waste time talking about it!" Mikey shouted as he swam past the raccoon.

The Waverent was starting to get bored. Looking up, he saw the children and narrowed its eyes. Seeing the creature swimming towards them, Ervine formed another ball of light and threw it. This time however, he aimed for its eyes and got a perfect shot, nailing it right between the eyes and temporarily blinding it.

But that didn't stop the Waverent from smelling. Getting a whiff of their scent, the Waverent ignored the elder sea sprite completely and headed straight towards the kids.

"Duck!" Robbie shouted. The three dodged, but got hit when it turned around and rammed into them with the side of its' body. Ervine tried to help, but the Waverent hit him with its tail like a horse flicking away a fly.

"We need to try and fight back," Mikey yelled, "hit him on the nose or something! Because we're not getting to the beach anytime soon!"

"You've got a point," Maddie replied, "want to volunteer to do the hitting."

"...Uh, no that's fine, you can do it."

Hearing the approaching roar, the kids got ready. "Okay, I'll hit his nose, Robbie and Mikey, you two should try and aim for the eyes. That way its' got no way of tracking us. Got it."

"Okay."

"Yeah bro."

Swimming back and missing the serpent's attack by a foot, Mikey and Robbie swam forward and punched it in the eyes. A roar of pain echoed through the water. Maddie got ready to hit the nose when its' head shot up. Still moving forward, the Waverent had its' mouth wide open, letting out a deafening wail and making the kids cry out in pain.

As it swam towards Maddie, the Waverent's fang flew past her head, nearly centimeters away from piercing her skull. Unfortunately, it was at the perfect angle to pop her air bubble.

Even as a child learning to swim, Maddie had never experienced being underwater and getting water in her mouth. Caught by surprise, the water rushed in. Realizing the situation quickly, Maddie closed her mouth. But she opened it again when the Waverent turned around and hit her with its' forehead.

The air literally knocked out of her, Maddie still tried to defend herself. She threw a punch at its' nose and missed. The Waverent pushed her back with his body growled at her.

The world around her was turning blurry. Both her back and stomach felt sore thanks to the Waverent' attacks, and Maddie felt like her lungs were about to burst. She couldn't keep this up much longer. She could see a blurry opened mouth coming towards her, and as much as she wanted to get away, she just didn't have the strength.

"MADDIE!"

Robbie hadn't even known Maddie's bubble had been popped. He just saw the Waverent concentrating on her. But as she floated in front of the oncoming creature, he didn't see her bubble reflecting back at him. She looked lifeless, it was almost too much for him to take.

Maddie. Strong, tough, brave Maddie. Now she looked practically dead in the water.

'Stop it!' his mind told him, mentally slapping himself. Now wasn't the time to be worried or upset or whatever. Now was the time to save her, not only because she was drowning, but because a big freaking snake was about to eat her1

Shouting her name, he swam towards his best friend. Maddie was nearly in the Waverent's mouth, and it was about to close and Robbie swam in and grabbed her, pulling her out. As he did though, he felt something sharp stab through his leg.

Letting out a painful cry, Robbie gritted his teeth and kept swimming. Despite trying not to, the young raccoon looked down at his friend. Her face was ashened and still. Was she even breathing? Robbie could feel his eyes stinging with tears, and not just because of his leg.

Hearing a roar from behind, Robbie turned and saw the Waverent coming in for another attack. But before it could get close, its' jaw was slammed shut with a hard punch on the bridge of its' nose.

"Leave the sixth graders alone!" Mikey shouted before swimming over to Robbie. "Come on dude, we have to go." He noticed Robbie's leg that had red color flowing out of it and into the water around them, and then looked at Maddie. "W-we need to go, now."

Robbie nodded, wincing a little in pain. Swimming down to meet Gamba and Ervine, Robbie looked over his shoulder once to see the Waverent roaring in frustration and pain, its' eyes closed and its' head shaking back and forth trying to get rid of the pain. On the surface, a giant whirlpool was probably being formed.

"Hurry!" shouted Ervine, quickly getting to work on Maddie. He made an air bubble for her and led the children to the sub. Gamba had emptied most of the water, and while there were still leaks, they weren't nearly as bad as before.

As soon as the five were inside, the driver started the propellers and drove back down towards the floor of the ocean. "Dude, Maddie swallowed a lot of water," Mikey said, remembering what had happened, "She-!"

"We know," Gamba said in a solemn tone as he opened a small wooden box. The two kids looked over at Maddie and Ervine, and gasped. The elder sea sprites hands were glowing, and he was pulling water out of her opened beak. It was hard for Robbie to watch, but he couldn't look away.

The other sea sprite began placing a moist piece of seaweed on Robbie's leg. "We'll have to clean the wound when we get back," said Gamba, his voice soft and more like a mumble, "But this will do for now."

After a few more seconds, Ervine had finished taking the water out of Maddie, but she still wasn't moving. His hands glowing violet now, he began spinning air and directed it into Maddie. He did this a few times before the violet bird started coughing violently. She sounded terrible, but Robbie smiled anyway, relieved to know that his best friend was alright.

After about a minute, Maddie stopped coughing. She gave a long moan and then slipped into unconsciousness. "Uh, will she-?" Mikey started to ask, but Ervine answered before he could finish.

"She'll be fine," Ervine said, although he still didn't look pleased. In fact, he looked sadder than ever.

"She's gonna be okay," Robbie mumbled, still smiling. Maddie was going to be okay. He still had his best friend, they were still going home together.

Everything was going to be okay.

With that, the raccoon finally let his smile fall as he let his body go into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**Wow, this chapter turned out longer than I thought. I'll admit, action scenes aren't my favorite things to write. I'm always afraid they'll be too short, too one-sided, or too repetitive. I hope this one turned out okay. It was longer than I thought it would be.**

**Sorry for ending on a cliffhanger (again!), but I promise to update soon. If I can and if everything works out, I may just update it tomorrow morning. (I'm really getting into this, and the next few chapters are going to be really interesting to write).**

**Please review, and I'll see you next time! Special shout out to Hai C, and Creativethinker28 for leaving such nice and kind reviews (they really made me smile when I read them, thank you so much!) and to my good friends Arristo, ChristLover357 and bg52598 for being so awesome and for reviewing nearly every chapter. Thanks guys! Alright, see you all next time! **


	44. Chapter 44

**Thanks for all the nice reviews! Okay, here we go!**

The first thing Robbie felt was crappy.

Then he felt slightly more awake, but still crappy. Even so, the young raccoon slowly opened his eyes. The water was a lot lighter than before, so it probably wasn't stormy anymore. But it still had that greyish tone. He felt a shiver go up his spine, but ignored it.

Moving his hands around, he felt the familiar snow-sand and knew that he was in the air bubble. He glanced up at the dome's ceiling and saw a couple clown fish dart across. A random memory entered his head. His mom had wanted to watch this movie about fish, but he and his dad were regretting it. In fact, they spent the first few minutes of the movie making fun at how dorky the dad fish was.

"He's not cool like you dad," Robbie had commented. Rigby definitely agreed with him. But as the movie continued, they stopped poking fun at it so much. It was actually a pretty good movie, but something about it had touched Rigby. That night when he was tucking Robbie in, he did it in an awkward way.

"Hey uh, Robbie," he had said, making the younger raccoon look up at him, "You know I, love you and all that, right?"

Robbie smiled. "Yeah dad, I know. I love you too." Rigby smiled back and muttered a 'yeah'. Then he did something that surprised Robbie. He hugged him, and not one of those one armed bro hugs, but an actual hug. They both knew Rigby was not the hugging type, so this caught Robbie off guard a little. But nevertheless, he happily hugged back.

"Goodnight dude," Rigby said when the hug ended.

"Goodnight Dad."

Robbie felt a lump in his throat started form, but quickly pushed it down. "Hey, you're finally awake." Turning his head, he saw Mikey sitting in the sand next to him. There were small doodles and tic-tac-toe squares around him, as well as the plastic 'Medieval Times' sword. It must've taken a lot for Mikey to stay quiet for however long it was that Robbie was out cold, so he definitely appreciated it.

"Hey dude," Robbie said, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes, "How long was I out?"

"All afternoon and all night, bro," Mikey answered, "It's like five in the morning now."

"Wow," Robbie said, not really knowing what else to say.

"Don't worry, your girlfriend's fine," Mikey said nonchalantly, "She been out for a while too."

Robbie scowled. "She's not my girlfriend."

"Yeah right," Mikey said with a smirk, "You two hang out all the time."

"Yeah, 'cause were best friends," Robbie retorted.

"Do best friends cuddle with each other at night?" Robbie's eyes widened. "That's right, I saw you two," Mikey grinned, "'Oh Robbie, I'll keep us warm'!"

Robbie picked up a handful of sand and threw it at the eighth grader. "Shut up!" he growled.

"Hey, take it easy!" Mikey shouted, holding up his hands in defense, "Geesh, and you guys thought I had relationship problems."

"This isn't exactly the same situation, Micheal," Robbie retorted, "We've been friends for so long, it would be weird! And besides, I don't even know if, I mean I can't be-"

"Hey, don't start dropping problems on me dude, I'm not your school counselor," Mikey said, "and besides, you have it a lot easier than I had it. You guys are practically dating now. Just tell her and get over it, that way I have a whole new reason to tease you two."

"What about the truce?"

"That's only for vacation," Mikey reminded him, "besides, it would be weird if I never teased you guys." That was true, it would be weird.

With that, the green boy stood up. "I'm gonna go get somethin' to eat. I'll bring you guys back something if I remember. Try not to do anything stupid when you're kissin' her!"

"I'm not gonna kiss her!" Robbie shouted. But Mikey didn't reply, he just laughed. In an instant, Gamba appeared and in a flash, they were both gone. "Hm hm, jerk."

Robbie laid back down, but he couldn't go back to sleep. He was too awake now. "Mmm," he heard a voice moan. He would recognize that voice anywhere. Turning his head to the other side, he saw Maddie laying just a few feet away.

(A/N I don't usually do this, usually because it's so corny, but this fits so well. So, here's a song that I thought would fit well.)

Her face wasn't as pale as before, and he could see her breathing. He gave a silent sigh of relief. Sitting up, he started to crawl over to her. A bolt of pain hit him. "Gah!" he shouted, before covering his mouth. He didn't want to wake her up. So, holding his leg, he practically dragged himself over to her. 'Stupid Waverent,' he thought. If this kept him from running track next year, he was going to learn Death Kwon Do to personally turn that serpent into sushi.

He stopped when he was about half a foot away from her. He looked at her face, she looked so peaceful. You almost couldn't tell that she almost died. Almost. Nearly. In fact, she probably was dead for a minute or two before Ervine fixed her. Robbie couldn't imagine a world without Maddie. A best friend to tease, to race to and from school. Someone to help you, and someone for you to help. They had been together all their lives, having fun and fighting monsters, making friends at school and learning about their weird irregular world.

_Remember when, we never needed each other_  
><em>The best of friends like<em>  
><em>Sister and Brother<em>  
><em>We understood, we'd never be,<em>  
><em>Alone<em>

He couldn't wait for those days to return, but at the same time... 'Do I want things to stay the same?' Robbie thought to himself. They weren't going to be kids forever. Sure, they weren't being pressured by their families to be successful right away, but they knew eventually they would grow up. They were already in middle school, high school wasn't that far off.

Without their crazy adventures, what would happen to them. Would they just stay best friends and hang out whenever they got the chance like Mordecai and Rigby, or...

_Those days are gone, and I want you so much_  
><em>The night is long and I need your touch<em>  
><em>Don't know what to say<em>  
><em>I never meant to feel this way<em>  
><em>Don't want to be<em>  
><em>Alone tonight<em>

Could they be something more?

Robbie thought back to all the events this year, their sixth grade year. The camping trip, watching the Northern Lights, even their trip to the beach. The raccoon sighed. "Crap," he mumbled. Mikey was right. He was in love with Maddie. He almost didn't want to be, but he also wanted to be. 'No wonder Mordecai said Dad used to hate being around girls,' he thought.

_What can I do, to make you mine  
>Falling so hard so fast this time<br>What did I say, what did you do?  
>How did I fall in love with you?<em>

'She doesn't feel the same way,' Robbie told himself, 'So just, forget about it! Being best friends is awesome, don't screw it up!'

But, what if he didn't screw it up. What if this love thing wasn't that bad? He wished he knew everything like Skips, then he would know what would happen if he did tell Maddie that he... if he did tell Maddie that he felt this way.

Robbie looked back at the violet bird. "Maddie," he said quietly. She was still fast asleep. Good. "I, I really like you." Saying it out loud wasn't that bad. Now if only he could say it when she was awake.

"Huh?" Robbie jumped when he saw Maddie moving.

"Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap!" he whispered, trying to move away from Maddie, his limbs stumbling over one another.

"Dude, did you say something?" Maddie asked. Robbie stopped and mentally thanked whoever was looking out for him.

"I just asked if you were awake," Robbie lied, "Mikey said that we were out the rest of the yesterday and all night. He went out to go get breakfast."

"Oh, okay," Maddie said. She slowly looked around, and sighed. "And, we're still here. Stupid Waverent."

"At least he didn't do that much damage to the sub," Robbie said, trying to keep the mood light, "So that means we'll probably try again tomorrow."

Maddie smiled. "Yeah, and then maybe this time my air helmet won't pop." Her face faltered. "Wait, dude. What happened after that? I mean, I remember trying to hit it but..."

"Uh, it kinda started focusing on you," Robbie said, looking at the sand as if it was the most interesting thing in the world, "And you started to, to,"

"To drown," Maddie finished. She wrapped her wings around her body. As tough as she was, Robbie could tell she was a little freaked.

"Don't worry, Ervine fixed you," Robbie added, "and I made sure you didn't get eaten. Oh, and Mikey punched it in the nose!"

"No way! Mikey?"

"True story!'

"Wow, guess he isn't all talk after all," Maddie said, laughing a little. Looking at the raccoon, she noticed the bandage around his leg. "What happened to you?"

"My leg caught one of its fangs," Robbie said, blushing a little, "It doesn't hurt that much, really." Maddie gave him a look, the look that said, 'Yeah, I'm totally not buying that'. He had seen his dad get that look from both Mordecai and Margaret, usually whenever he tried to sneak an extra dessert when they ate at the Quintel house and then tried lying about it.

"You didn't have to do that," Maddie said, "I mean, I could've saved myself. Or, Gamba or Ervine could have..."

"You were drowning, Maddie," Robbie said, his voice serious, "I don't care if I got hurt, I wasn't going to let you get eaten. Besides, you would've done the same for me."

"Hm, yeah, I would," Maddie said, smiling a little, "Thanks for saving me. But still, I feel bad that you got hurt."

"It's not that bad," Robbie replied, "I may have gotten the 'pointy' end of the deal, but jokes on him, I haven't had a bath while we've been down here so I probably tasted terrible."

Maddie giggled a little. Then, they both realized it at the same moment. "You laughed!" Robbie exclaimed, "You laughed at one of my jokes! I got you to laugh!"

"No, I'm probably still a little light headed from the drowning," Maddie said, looking away and scowling.

"No, you were laughing!" Robbie grinned, "Attention everyone! I made Madeline Marie Quintel laugh with one of my jokes! I win! OHHHHHHHH!"

The bird laughed. "Whatever dude, they're still super corny."

"Yeah, but they made you laugh." Maddie gave him a push. "Hey! You can't hit someone who's hurt!"

"I thought you said it didn't hurt that much." Robbie gave her a shove, and they both laughed. But the bad thing about laughs, they sometimes end in awkward silences.

"Um yeah, funny," Maddie said, rubbing her neck.

"Yeah," Robbie mumbled, "Um hey, before your helmet popped, you said something about a pet shop?"

"Oh! That's right!" Maddie exclaimed, "I figured out where I've seen that thing before." She smiled. "And, I think I may have thought of a plan on what to do once we get to the surface so it doesn't just flood the coast to catch us."

"What is it?" Robbie asked, curious. Maddie grinned and started to explain.

()()()()()()()()()()

It had been nearly a week now. The weather was still cloudy and stormy. The waves were always ten feet high (and those were the small ones!) so there was no one at the beach. Meals consisted of take out and McDonalds, but it never tasted any better than cardboard.

Skips was outside on the porch again. He watched the dark waves rise and fall. A couple boats were still out seraching, but most had been brought in. The yeti sighed through his nose.

"Hey Skips," he heard two voices greet in unison.

"Hey guys," Skips grunted. The bluejay and elder raccoon each took a side and looked out at the ocean alongside the yeti.

"Skips, are there any mythical water creatures out here?" Mordecai asked.

"No, there aren't any that live in this territory, at least not that I know of," Skips answered, "Most water creatures in this territory live in swamps and caves. The ocean ones live in the Atlantic or Indian ocean."

"Oh."

"Well, at least we don't have to worry about that," Rigby mumbled.

Skips couldn't help but feel sorry for the two. He placed a hand on their shoulders. He didn't say anything, but the touch said everything he needed to say. "Thanks Skips," Mordecai said with a small smile.

"Yeah, thanks man," Rigby added.

"No problem," Skips replied. He started to walk away. "I'm gonna go comb the beach, see if I can find anything."

"'Kay," the two replied. As Skips skipped away, he heard Rigby say, "Dude, I'm tired of waiting."

"I know dude but, there's not much we can do. A magical monster or something was our best bet, since Skips could probably track that sort of thing. But, I know their out there. We're gonna find them, even if I have to take out all the money in the bank and the college fund and rent a sub or something to find one."

"Yeah! Wait, college fund?"

Skips scowled and kicked some sand. He hated feeling useless. As he skipped down the shore, all he saw was driftwood and seaweed. No signs of kids at all. Looking up at the bobbing boats and the churning water, he saw something. He almost thought it was a trick that his eyes were playing on him, but something inside told him it wasn't.

He saw the back of a creature with spiky fins and shiny black scales.

"It can't be," he said, "they were supposed to be extinct." But there was no other explanation, and with the high waves and endless stormy weather...

Everything made sense now.

As quickly as he could, he skipped back to the beach house. There was no time to lose now, since seeing that creature made the situation much, much more dangerous.

**Things are really rolling now. Even so, sorry the chapter's so short. Expect a long one next time, 3500 words at least! **

**The song is 'How did I fall in Love with You' by the Backstreet Boys (Yeah yeah, I know, shut up) **

**This chapter kinda had a personal touch, since I was in the same situation as Robbie. Best friends with a person, crushing on them, not knowing if you should tell them or stay as friends. Only it was a bit worse for me, my friend's going to college, so that just makes things more complicated :( Don't worry bro, I know how it feels (Pats Robbie on the shoulder) **

**Expect the next chapter soon, but first I'm going to work on a little fanart for the story (wow, haven't done that in a while). In case you're interested, my Deviantart name is "Mordyfan13". Please review, and I'll see you all next time! **


	45. Chapter 45

"You three want to what?"

It had been a whole day since their last attempt to reach land, and the kids were more than ready to try again. "We want to try and get to the surface again," Maddie repeated, her arms crossed in a 'I'm not taking no for an answer' fashion.

Gamba couldn't believe it. Ervine shook his head. "You three may be strong and care for each other, but you're also as stubborn as a manatee. You were nearly killed last time, which might I remind you was barely two days ago. You" looking at Robbie, "were injured and you" looking at Maddie, "nearly drowned."

"Ervine," Maddie tried to say, but the elder sea sprite wouldn't hear it.

"I can't let you three risk your lives again," he said, turning around, "I will not let you-"

"You were right." The elder sea sprite stopped. Gamba looked at the violet bird in surprise. "We weren't strong enough to handle the Waverent," Maddie continued, "we were nearly killed and there's a pretty good chance that could happen again. You were right."

Ervine turned to look at the three. His face was still, you couldn't tell what he was thinking.

"But that doesn't mean we're going to stop trying," Maddie said, determined, "I know you all are peaceful people, but we're going to have to take the offensive a little if we want to get past the Waverent. If we don't, we'll never get back home. It's too strong and fast."

"But we don't have any weapons to use against the Waverent," Gamba replied, "in fact, it's never attacked us."

"Wait, never?" Robbie asked. He couldn't believe that.

"The Waverent's job is to make waves and move the currents," Gamba explained, "it only attacks those who threaten it's life or those who try to stop it's waves. For as long as we have lived here, it has never attacked us. It knows we are peaceful creatures, so we live together in harmony. Unfortunately, that doesn't mean it still won't be willing to attack when provoked."

"Or when it sees something unfamiliar," Maddie finished, "Well, then that means we'll have to make weapons of our own." She caught the disapproving look of Ervine. "Don't worry, they'll all be defensive based. First off, we need to make the sub a bit stronger, that way it won't start leaking as quickly."

"But the heavier it is, the slower it will be," Gamba said.

"Robbie has a solution to that," Maddie said with a smile. The raccoon pushed his glasses up and then walked up to the two sea sprites.

"You guys have seen sunken ships, right?" Robbie asked.

"Yes," Ervine replied.

"We mostly leave the sites alone," Gamba added, "but we have put a few pieces from them in our museum to study."

"Perfect," Robbie smiled, "if we can find the right parts, we can install a real motor in the sub, not just propellers. I also have an idea for something we can use to distract the Waverent. Ervine, I saw that you were shooting balls of light to distract it."

"Yes," Ervine confirmed, "but I would only be able to do that outside of the vehicle."

"Unless, you had a little something from the surface," the raccoon grinned, his tail wagging excitedly, "We would only need a few pieces of glass, and it could double as the scope."

"So, this thing is going to be faster, stronger, and will distract it enough to let us get back home," Mikey summarized.

"Right," Maddie said, "but first, we need your permission."

The three kids and Gamba looked at the elder sea sprite. His face was still stoic. You couldn't tell if he was for or against the idea. Finally, Ervine gave a silent sigh. "How long would you be able to make the adjustments to the submarine."

The kids all smiled, trying to hold in their excitement. "Only a few hours at the most," Maddie replied.

"Very well," Ervine said, "but, I hope you three know what you're doing."

"Don't worry," Robbie smiled, "We won't let anything bad happen. We promise!"

With that, everyone got to work. Enlisting the help of all the sea sprite builders, and even their friends they had met earlier that week, Maddie and Mikey started cutting and attaching the wood to the sub and making it stronger.

As for Robbie, he, Gamba and Ervine were at the museum. In the 'Boat Section', they found the perfect motor. It was a little rusty, but it could still work. Remembering what he had read in auto and motor books, the young raccoon helped direct the builders, who were certain that they could get it up and running in less than an hour.

After that, Robbie started working on the new scope. This time, it was more like a telescope in shape. It could still be turned in a full circle, but you could also adjust the angle. But that wasn't the best part.

"Okay Ervine," Robbie said, stepping aside. The elder sea sprite formed a bubble, which this time had a red aura around it per Robbie's request. He pushed it against the glass, and the light bounced off the glass inside the scope, until it bounced out of the scope and across the water.

A lifesized, underwater laser pointer.

"Yes!" Robbie shouted, fistpumping, "I knew it would work!" As he and Gamba celebrated, Robbie could have sworn he saw a small smile on Ervine's face.

It only took about two hours to finish the new and improved submarine. The last thing they had to do was attach the motor to the bottom of the sub.

"I have to say, this is pretty exciting," Gamba smiled, "Children, I think this may just be your lucky day."

Maddie returned the smile. "Yeah, well, first we have to get past the Waverent." There was still one more part of the plan, but for the moment, Maddie wanted to concentrate on actually getting to that part of the plan. Because really, if they failed this time, what else could they try?

"Well then, what are you guys waiting for?" Mikey asked, pushing past everyone and climbing aboard. Ervine and Gamba soon followed.

"You ready, Maddie?" Robbie asked, looking up at his best friend.

"Yeah," Maddie replied, "How's your leg?"

"Good," Robbie replied as he moved it up and down. It was still a little tender, and every once in a while he felt a sharp stab of pain, but he could still walk on it for the most part.

"Alright then." The violet bird and the raccoon looked at the sub, took a deep breath, and climbed into the wooden vehicle. Shutting the door behind them, they took their seats. Mikey was already sitting down, with the 'Medieval Times' plastic sword sitting at his feet.

"Are we ready?" Gamba asked Ervine, who was standing at the scope. The elder nodded. Gamba turned to face the controls. The three kids held their breath. Gamba pressed the start button, and...

The sub took off like a rocket.

"Whoa!" They all quickly grabbed a hold of something, surprised by how fast they were going.

"Guess you did a pretty good job on that motor," Maddie said to Robbie as the sub continued to fly at a diagonal path.

After a few minutes, Ervine announced that they were nearly halfway there. "Alright!" Mikey cheered, but everyone else stayed quiet. They all knew what was probably swimming towards them.

Making everyone sit up a little straighter, a muffled roar echoed through the sub. "Ervine, do you see it?" Robbie asked.

Ervine looked. "15 miles port of us, and getting closer," the elder sprite answered. His face was turned away from the kids as he looked through the scope.

"Alright guys," Maddie said, "Let's do this." The three stood up, ready to fight if they had to. A small thud hit the sub.

"Ervine, start firing," Robbie shouted. Ervine nodded and then start forming red bubbles.

"Gamba, can you increase speed any?" Maddie asked.

"I can try," the younger sea sprite replied. Slowly pushing a lever up, everyone felt a small boost of speed and lurched forward a bit. They also heard another roar, this time a lot louder than before.

"Sounds like it's getting pretty pissed," Mikey commented.

"What else is new?" Maddie replied.

"Just keep firing!" Robbie repeated to Ervine. But before he could fire another shot, something hit the left side of the sub, knocking them all over. Quickly picking himself off the ground, Gamba grabbed the wheel and tried to get the sub back on the right path. Robbie and Mikey ran over to help him.

Once the wheel was straightened, Gamba increased the speed a little bit more. "I don't think I can give it much more, children," Gamba said, his voice not exactly sounding the calmest.

There was a faint scent of smoke in the sub. "Uh oh," Robbie said. He walked over to the center of the sub, where the engine was underneath. "It's heating up! It's going to start a fire soon."

"But what about the snake thing?" Mikey asked.

"Ervine?" Maddie asked, looking up at the sprite by the scope. He was facing the other way now.

"About two miles behind us and increasing speed," Ervine answered.

Maddie groaned. "Of course he is. Okay, just keep firing! Try to aim for the face to slow him down for a minute or two."

"And Gamba, slow down a little," Robbie added, "If it's between a sea monster and exploding, I'd take the sea monster."

The two sprites obeyed. Outside the sub, the Waverent was getting furious. The bright streaks of light were distracting at first to it, but now it was just aggravating, like waving a flag in front of a bull. It wanted to destroy the sub, crush it right in it's tracks.

Shooting towards it like an arrow, the Waverent growled. It was going to catch it's prey, no matter wha- PEW!

A bright flash of red light hit the creature right in the eye. Letting out a roar of pain, the creature twitched violently. By the time it was able to calm itself down, the sub was already near the surface.

Blinking away the angry tears, the Waverent knew what it had to do now. Stretching it's ebony body and sharp fins out, the serpent glared at the wooden sub and shot up. Not towards the submarine itself, but towards the surface.

"Is it still attacking?" Robbie asked.

"I think we stopped it," Maddie replied, "at least for right now."

"Great," Mikey said, "so, are we at the surface yet?"

"Sir, how far are we from the land?" Gamba asked.

"Thirteen miles," Ervine answered. His voice had a bit of a hitch in it, just the tiniest hint of emotion.

"Wait, vertical or horizontal?" Robbie asked.

"Horizontal." The three looked at him. That wasn't his usual answer. Now that they stopped to actually concentrate, they realized the sub was no longer moving.

They all looked at each other, and then raced to the door. Opening it, they almost couldn't believe it. They were floating on top of the water. Across from them sitting on the horizon, they saw the familiar shore. Just a mile or so from that, they saw their beach house. The sky was grey and stormy looking, and the weather was a bit chilly, but it didn't matter.

"I don't believe it," Maddie said finally, "We actually made it?"

"Don't say it like that," Mikey said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah," Robbie added, "say it like 'Woo! We made it!' We did it, Maddie! Be happy dude!"

"I am happy," Maddie replied, giving Robbie a small smile. But, something in her stomach told her that this wasn't over. "But, what happened to the-"

She never got to finish her sentence. At that moment, a swoop of black cut her off. Despite looking like a snake's tail, it felt like the ship was being pelted by a thousand gallons of water. That may have been the case since the bird soon found herself under the water, struggling to reach precious air.

After a few moments, she was able to move away from all the wood and remains of the sub and reach the surface once again. Gasping for breath, she looked around.

"Robbie? Robbie!" she shouted, seeing no signs of life. No splashes, no waving arms, nothing. She briefly flashed back to the night when they were first swept under. "Robert answer me!"

"Maddie!" Spinning around so fast that she risked whiplash, Maddie spotted her friend resting his head on a piece of wood. His glasses were gone, and his bangs were matted to his forehead, but he was alive. She quickly swam over to him and grabbed onto the driftwood for dear life.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Robbie replied.

"Good," Maddie said, sighing in relief, "Wait! Where's Mikey!" As if on cue, the pudgy green boy broke through the water and grabbed on to the driftwood, gasping for breath.

"Wh-what I miss?" Mikey asked.

"Our sub was destroyed," Robbie replied. How were they going to get back home now?

Unfortunately, they wouldn't be given time to think about it. They felt the water start to rock them back and forth, and they watched as the dark, skinny creature rose out of the water.

"Is it me, or has it gotten bigger?" Maddie commented as she held on to the driftwood a little tighter. It looked about two times bigger than the last time they saw it. And it looked angry.

Letting out a mighty roar, the creature bent its' neck and pounced at the three. There was almost no time to scream. They just closed their eyes and prayed it would be quick. At least, the two boys did.

Maddie was frozen in fear, eyes wide open as she watched the mouth lined with sharp teeth come towards her like an asteroid falling to Earth. Her blue eyes darted around the water. 'There has to be something! There has to be!' But it was all just small pieces of wood that wouldn't be more than the size of a corn kernel to the creature.

But, one thing did catch her eye. The plastic sword. Grabbing it, she looked up and saw she only had a few seconds left. Letting out a cry, she threw the sword and then squeezed her eyes shut.

'We did our best, Mom and Dad,' she thought. She wanted her last thoughts to be of them. But, as she waited, she didn't feel anything. She briefly felt the warm breath of the creature, but that was it. Well that and the sound of someone gagging.

Maddie, as well as Robbie and Mikey, opened their eyes. Still standing above them, they saw the Waverent gagging and coughing.

"What happened?" Mikey asked.

"It's gagging on something," Robbie replied.

"Really, I never would've figured that out. I meant why, stupid. Did it try to eat Ervine or Gamba first and they got stuck in his throat or something?" Mikey asked.

Maddie gave them a small smile. "No, it's just choking on an appetizer," she answered, "called 'plastic sword'."

Robbie smiled. "Nice!" They looked back up at the creature and watched as it sank down. But, as it continued coughing, it glared at them with it's cold, yellow eyes. Slowly, it rose again, but it's body was hidden in a wall of water. A fifty foot wall of water.

'Wow, that's one huge wave,' the young raccoon thought. There was no way they would be able to swim away from it fast enough. But then, he noticed what he was holding onto. A long, thin piece of wood that all three of them were able to hold onto and still have plenty of room. 'Maybe, we don't have to swim. I have always wanted to try surfing.'

"Guys! Get on!" Robbie shouted, climbing onto the 'board'. The two gave him a strange look, but followed his order. "Alright, now just hang on!"

Maddie looked at him, and then at the giant wave. "Oh, no way dude. THere's no way you're going to-"

"Yep," Robbie answered.

"Have you even surfed before?" Mikey asked.

"Yeah, this one time where there was a giant wave ready to crush me and my friends," the raccoon replied. He felt the wave getting closer, and felt the 'board' rise.

'Okay dude,' he told himself, 'Just keep calm, and remember what you've read and what you've seen on tv.' He widened his stance to give himself perfect balanced, and hunched over just a little bit.

He was on top of the wave now, overshadowing everything on the beach. "Dude! You're doing it!" Maddie exclaimed happily. She would've hugged him if he wasn't trying to keep his balanced.

"Hm hm," Robbie said, directing it towards Mikey, "told you I could do it."

"Yeah yeah," Mikey said, "just try not to wipe out. We still have to keep from getting eaten by this thing." With that in mind, Robbie faced forward and concentrated on staying above the cold water.

()()()()()()()()

"So, you're saying that they could have met this, this-!"

"Waverent," Skips finished for Margaret. He was standing in the center of the room, surrounded by all the remaining members of the park family, as well as a few members of the Coast Guard.

As soon as he had gotten back to the house, he tried to find evidence that what he saw was correct. He didn't want to start a panic, that was the number one thing they didn't need at that moment.

But the yeti found nothing. Even Gary didn't know anything when he called him up. Only Death would know for sure, and he didn't exactly have his number on speed dial. So, he would have to trust his instincts. Besides, everyone kept demanding that he tell them what he saw. Benson was even threatening to fire him if he didn't tell them soon.

"A waverent is a supernatural creature. Carnivorous, water type, and can change it's size to be as big as Big Ben. It looks a lot like a snake, but it has the power to make giant waves and whirlpools. It can also control the currents. There are usually only two or three around at a time," Skips had explained, "But I thought they died out years ago. I never would've thought there would've not only be one left, but one living right here."

"So, it makes giant waves," Mordecai repeated, "and, if the kids were out there..." He didn't have to finish. The room was quiet. Skips lowered his head. He almost wished he hadn't seen the creature, then at least there would still be hope.

Just then, a static noise followed by rapid beeps was heard throughout the room. One of the coast guards took out his walkie talkie. "Hello?" he said.

"Have you turned on your radio?" the voice on the other line asked.

"No, I'm with the family from the missing children case."

"Well, turn on your radio! They'll want to hear this too." Everyone was curious now.

"Um, excuse me folks but do you have a radio we can use?" the coast guard asked.

"Oh! I do!" Pops shouted. The lolliman quickly went to go fetch his radio. As soon as he turned it on, they all crowded around to listen.

_"Say that again, Bill?"_

_"Well, the waves are of course big but there have been sightings of eyes in the middle of the waves!"_

_"Eyes? Do you think this is some sort of water monster?"_ Skips couldn't help but roll his eyes. 'If you're gonna speculate, try to use the right terms,' he thought.

_"I'm not sure but- Mark? Mark I think I see something else!"_

_"What is it Bill?"_

_"There's someone surfing on top of the wave! You heard me, Mark!** Surfing!** Wait, it's not just one, it's- it's kids!"_

_"Can you describe the kids?"_

_"Well, it looks like two males and a female, and two of the kids look like... animals?" _

Everyone in the room was silent. They looked at each other, and then ran out of the room like the house was on fire.

**Please review. Update coming soon, only a few chapters left! We're getting close to the climax! Hope you all enjoy! :) **


	46. Chapter 46

The giant wave continued moving forward, towering over the beach side city. "Robbie, you okay?" Maddie asked. While she and Mikey were sitting on the board, Robbie was standing. After spending so much time underwater plus having a sore leg, it couldn't have been easy.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Robbie answered. Something, probably a smaller current or a fish, hit the bottom of the board. He felt his bad leg give a jolt of pain. Letting out a small gasp and a yelp, the raccoon started to lose his balance.

"I've got you!" the violet bird shouted. She quickly grabbed his waist, and helped balanced both her friend and the board. After only a few minutes, the board was back to gliding easily on the rushing water.

"Thanks," Robbie replied, giving Maddie a small smile. Maddie quickly smiled back.

"Yeah, I bet you're thankful," Mikey said with a smirk, "you guys were pretty close."

Both friends blushed. "Shut up," they growled in unison. If it weren't life or death, they would've shoved Mikey into the water. So instead, they just turned away from him. When Robbie looked away however, something else caught his eye.

"Um guys?" Robbie said, "It may just be me since I'm not wearing my glasses, but what are we heading towards?"

The other two looked up, and saw that just about thirty feet away were a collection of city buildings. The Waverent was going to crash right into the city! A few buildings probably couldn't kill it, but for the three of them, it was a different story.

"What do we do?" Maddie asked. She looked down, and saw how far they were from the water below. "I think jumping's out of the question."

"Yeah, besides if we're in the water, that thing just has a better chance of eating us!" Mikey added.

They all felt the wave start to move at an angle, leaning towards the tops of the city buildings. If they didn't make a decision soon, it would be too late.

"HEY! KIDS!" they heard a raspy voice yell. They quickly looked down. In front of the deadly buildings, there was the coast line. A huge beach. Standing on that beach was, of course,

"Skips!" all three yelled. Looking at the rest of the beach, they saw the rest of their family try to catch up with the yeti.

"It's our parents!" Maddie yelled happily, "and Pops and Benson!" The three started to wave at them, just to let them know they were alright and not hurt or anything. After all, they had been missing for nearly a week.

"You guys hav'ta jump!" Skips shouted.

"Onto what!" Robbie shouted back. Sand may have been soft, but not when you're nearly a hundred feet off the ground.

"You may be strong dude, but you can't catch us all!" Mikey added.

"Just trust me! Please!" The yeti shouted, his voice a mixture of demanding and pleading.

The three kids looked at each other, then at Skips and their family, then at the approaching buildings. "Alright! We'll do it!" Maddie finally shouted back.

Mikey and Robbie looked at her, mirroring her worried expression. "We'll do it together," she said. They all nodded. Robbie grabbed her left hand, and Mikey grabbed her right hand. "On three!" she shouted as they all stood up.

Suddenly, they felt the board jolt up. The Waverent wanted to make sure they would fly into those buildings. "THREE!" Wasting no more time, the three friends jumped off and dived towards the beach below. No more than fifteen feet away from landing in the hard sand, a wall of water crashed into them.

The cold water shocked them, and pushed them around as if they were in a giant washing machine. Tons and tons of water, all crashing into the city. But before the kids could, they each felt another hand grabbed them. Strong hands and arms grabbed them and held them close, until the water finally started to calm.

()()()()()()()()

She thought, maybe she was in the giant air dome again. The sand, the water. Wait, there was no water in the dome. But there was water here. She felt it covering her legs, the lower part of her body, and part of her arms. Her head, it was propped up on something. Water slushed in her ears, a muffled voice could be heard echoing through the liquid.

_'Ma-ie'_

_'Mad-e'_

_"Maddie"_

"Maddie!"

The violet bird coughed, trying to get all the fresh air she could. "It's okay, it's okay," a voice said, trying to calm her. She recognized that voice. It was a voice she hadn't heard in a week. She slowly opened her eyes. No sun slowed her or block her vision. The person she saw in front of her was crystal clear.

"Dad," she mumbled, as if it was just a dream.

"Yeah, it's me," Mordecai replied with a smile, trying to be strong but she could see the tears start to fall. Not caring if she could or not, Maddie pushed herself off her father's lap, and wrapped her arms around him. Mordecai didn't waste time doing the same. They didn't say anything, the hug said all they needed to say.

"Robbie! Are you okay?" she heard another familiar voice shout. Letting go of her father, she turned to see Mikey and Robbie laying over by Skips and Rigby.

The younger raccoon coughed a few times, but then answered. "I'm fine," he said quietly but in a happy tone.

"Good," Rigby replied, relieved. Without wasting another second, he grabbed Robbie and hugged him. And of course, Robbie hugged back. As the father and son hugged, Mikey started to wake up, and Skips was making sure he was okay.

Looking around the beach, it almost didn't look like a beach to Maddie. It was more like a shallow pool. The whole area was flooded. She looked back at the beach houses, and saw the rest of her family trying to run towards them ('They must have stayed by the house so they wouldn't get swept away,' Maddie thought) It was hard since they were standing in about two feet of water, but that didn't stop them.

She soon felt another pair of wings wrap around her. "Maddie! Thank God you're okay! Where were you! Are you hurt! Where were you!" Maddie didn't bother trying to answer the questions. She just enjoyed being by her parents. She missed them so much. She nearly forgot how soft and warm their feathers were.

"Robert!" Eileen shouted, practically pulling her son away from Rigby and into her arms. She hugged for about half a minute before letting him go and giving him a chance to breathe. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"Well, my leg's a little sore, and I kinda lost my glasses," Robbie answered, giving his mom a sheepish smile, "Uh, sorry about that." Eileen just shook her head, smiling.

"Oh, who cares about glasses?" she said before giving him another hug. She had her baby back, and that was all that mattered.

Speaking of 'baby'

"Oh, my baby! I missed you so much!" Starla shouted as she hugged Mikey. Muscleman was standing behind the two. Sure, he missed Mikey too and wanted to hug his kid just as much as any other parent, but there was no way he was going to try and take him away from Starla to do it. The woman was like a mother bear, in love, strength, and deadliness.

"Mom! Quit it!" Mikey yelled as he tried to get away, "I'm fine! Geesh."

His mother frowned at him. "Don't you know how much I missed you, lumpkin?" she asked. That did it. Mikey felt the tears start to form.

"I-I missed you too, Mom!" he shouted, sounding more like a little kid than an eighth grader. But Starla simply smiled and hugged her son. "It's okay," she said, "Mama's here."

Benson, Skips and Pops all stood back, smiling and watching the reunion between the kids and their parents unfold. As much as they wanted to give hugs too, they wanted to give them their space. Besides, they could always give hugs later.

"Good show," Pops said through a tearful smile, "Jolly good show."

"Yeah," Benson said, reaching for Pops' hand and squeezing it gently, "I'd say it's a pretty good show."

The yeti said nothing. He simply smiled, and gave a relaxed sigh. "Welcome back kids," he said quietly. A few moments later, he spoke up a little louder. "Alright, why don't we get these kids something hot to eat and some well deserved rest?"

Maddie smiled. She could feel a warm blanket wrapped around her, a hot meal and Pops' butterscotch tea sitting in her stomach. It sounded like Heaven. She couldn't wait to... wait. No. "No!" she shouted.

"Maddie, what do you mean no?" Mordecai asked, confused.

"She means, we aren't done with the plan yet!" Robbie explained, standing up.

"Wait, what plan?" Benson, Rigby and Margaret all asked in unison.

"The first part of the plan was to actually get back home," Maddie said, "No we have to do the second part so we can stop the Waverent."

"Wait what?" Mordecai said surprised.

"So, you guys actually did meet it?" Skips asked.

"Yeah! And now we need to stop it!" Maddie replied.

"But I didn't see anything," Eileen spoke up.

"Yeah, we just saw the giant wave," Margaret added.

Just then, there was a loud roar. It was louder than any of the roars the kids had heard underwater, and yet it came from the city.

"The Waverent creates waves," Skips said, "and can even become part of them if it wants to get somewhere quick or help the wave destroy something." Sure enough, they could hear loud crashes and see smoke coming from the city.

"It's looking for something," Robbie added, "but we know what it's looking for!"

"So we need to go get it now! Before it destroys the city!" Maddie yelled as she stood up. Her body careened a little, but she was still able to stand.

"Wait! You're not going anywhere!" Mordecai shouted, grabbing his daughter's arm. Maddie looked back at him, almost hurt by his actions.

"Dad," Maddie started to say, but her father stopped her.

"I've battled enough giant monsters to know you don't go after something without at least two or three other people to help you," Mordecai said, "So, you're not going anywhere without me." He gave her a smile, and Maddie smiled back. "Skips will drive us, won't you Skips?"

"Just tell me where to go," Skips answered.

"I'm coming too!" Rigby added. Robbie grinned.

Any other wife would've put her foot down. Her child, who has been missing for a week, and her husband going off to fight a giant monster? Then again, Margaret and Eileen knew they weren't exactly married to men with regular lives. Giving their husbands and kids one more hug and telling them to be careful and good luck, the five started to run towards the car.

"Aren't you going too, sweetums?" Starla asked Mikey.

"Nah," he replied as he watched them get into Skips' car. "Besides, they're pretty cool. They can handle it. Good luck Sixth Graders!" he shouted.

"Thanks!" Maddie and Robbie shouted back before closing the car door.

Thanks to the water, the wheels had a hard time turning at first. But Skips was able to get them moving, and after a few minutes, they made it onto the main road where there wasn't as much water. "Alright, go up this street!" Maddie said.

The car traveled up the Main Street hill, going as fast as it could. Like driving through a heavy rain, the tires made the water spray out as they drove, making it hard for the kids to see the street signs. "Um, okay, take a left here!"

When they turned onto the new street, Skips noticed that there was more water here and yet they were at higher ground. 'That's strange,' he thought.

"Skips! Look out!" Rigby exclaimed. The yeti looked up and saw a wave coming towards them.

"Brace yourselves!" Skips yelled, pressing the gas petal. He drove right into the wave, so he could go through it rather than be pushed by it. But that didn't mean the wave didn't still have a lot of force to it. He was a little surprised the airbags didn't go off. But, they were safe, and the wave as well as most of the water continued on to the next street.

CRASH! The five looked up just to see the tip of a black serpent tail slice through a tall building. They screamed as large chunks of cement, metal and glass started to fall. Skips slammed on the gas and just barely dodged the building.

Unfortunately, since the street was still wet, the tires could barely stop. The car skid and slid, it took about five minutes to get to a stop. "Everybody okay?" Skips asked.

"Yeah/Uh-huh/We're good," the four answered. Robbie looked out the window, and saw a familiar sign.

"Maddie! Look!" he exclaimed, his tail twitching excitedly. The violet bird looked out the window and smiled at the sight of the pet shop.

"There it is!" she shouted. Without even asking for permission, the two jumped out of the car and ran to the shop. The doors weren't locked, so they didn't have to worry about struggling with trying to get in. In fact, the shop was deserted. It was quiet, except for the sound of splashing.

Remembering the way to the tanks, Maddie led Robbie over to the back of the shop. "It's over he- ah!" She felt her feet slip, but quickly caught herself mid fall. Why was there water on the floor? She looked up, and saw the source of the water.

Laying and flopping on the floor, she saw what looked like a black snake with fins. It was only a foot away from its' tank, one of the four walls shattered. 'It must have tried to break out when it heard the Waverent outside,' Maddie thought.

"Quick, go get something to put it in!" Robbie ran off, and came back with a medium sized bucket filled with water. Maddie bent down to pick up the smaller Waverent, but it growled at her. She flinched, but stayed calm.

"I know you're afraid, and you miss your parent," she said calmly, "But I promise, I'll take you to her. Please, trust me." The Waverent looked up at her, its' yellow eyes glassy. The Waverent stopped squirming, but kept its' eyes on the violet bird. Slowly, she bent down in picked up the creature. It slithered across her palms and into the bucket. Maddie smiled. "Good Waverent," she smiled.

"Maddie!" The two friends looked up and saw Mordecai, Rigby and Skips. "Did you find what its' looking for?" Mordecai asked.

"Yep, right here," Maddie answered with a grin.

"Now we have to find the mom," Robbie added. As if on cue, they all heard a loud roar that shook the walls of the shop. The frightened animals cried out. "Come on!" he yelled, grabbing one handle of the bucket. Maddie grabbed the other, and they kept a strong hold of the bucket as they ran out.

The entire city was covered in a huge shadow. The street they were on was filled with nearly three feet of water. Slowly looking up, they saw the angry serpent glaring at them.

"Please stop! We found your baby!" Maddie said as loud as she could. They held up the smaller Waverent.

"We'll even let it go!" Robbie added. They quickly poured the water out of the bucket and the Waverent crawled out. It looked up and began speaking a strange language. It sounded so foreign and strange. It could best be described as sounding like parseltongue from 'Harry Potter', but even that wasn't a perfect match.

The bigger Waverent answered, and then slowly began to shrink. "What's it doing?" Mordecai asked.

"Waverents can change their size, big to create huge waves or small to survive in small spaces," Skips answered, "Normally, they're about the size of a boa constrictor." Sure enough, the other Waverent began to slowly grow.

As soon as it was done shrinking, the Waverent went up to the other and nudged its' snout against its' body, almost like a snake hug. But, as they watched and looked a little closer, the Waverent that had shrank was smaller than the one in the pet shop.

"Wait, so the one that tried to kill us, was the baby?" Robbie said in disbelief.

"If that was the baby, I'd hate to see what the mother would be like pissed off," Rigby commented.

The two black serpents looked up at the five of them, specifically Maddie and Robbie. Their golden eyes were no longer filled with hate or untrusting, but instead filled with thankfulness.

"No problem/You're welcome," the two friends replied quietly. With that, the reunited parent and child Waverents started to slither away. As they did, the water followed them. By the time they reached the ocean, the beach and city were completely dry. Even the sun was starting to come out, making everything a little brighter.

"Nice job you two," Skips said with a soft smile. The kids smiled back and hugged him. Walking back to the car, they almost couldn't believe their adventure was over.

And yet, it never felt better to be home.

()()()()()()()()

"Look! There they are!" Pops shouted as the car pulled into a parking space. The kids jumped out and ran over to their park family. Margaret, Eileen and Pops wasted no time giving them hugs.

"Children, I must say you were magnificent!" Maddie and Robbie recognized that voice. Looking behind them, they saw Ervine and Gamba.

"Hey! You guys are okay!" Maddie smiled as she and Robbie ran over to them.

"Yes, we're fine," Gamba said before looking a little sheepish, "It just, took us a little longer to reach the shore."

"But, you two were right," Ervine started to say, "You were able to take care of yourselves, and help save your home. I must say, I'm impressed."

"So, will they attack you guys anymore?" Robbie asked.

"They never attacked us," Ervine replied, "Like we said before, the Waverent only attack those that could threaten it. We are peaceful creatures, so it knows not to attack us. Unfortunately, it is willing to attack everyone else."

"That's why you wiped the memories of anyone who visited your city," Skips said, surprising Maddie and Robbie who didn't know he was there, "that way they wouldn't come back and risk getting hurt. Because of that, there was no news about Waverents or Sea Sprites, and they were thought to be extinct."

"That is correct, Walks," Ervine replied.

"Actually, It's Skips now."

"Well, it does suit you better," Gamba commented with a playful smile.

"So, are you going to have to wipe our memories now?" Maddie asked, just a little worried. She had seen so many amazing things and had met some new underwater friends. She didn't want to forget all of that, and neither did Robbie.

The elder sprite looked at them, and slowly shook his head. "No, we will not," he answered, "not mentioning the fact that you help reunite a mother and child Waverent, who by the way have excellent memory, but you two are not normal children. You are special, and strong, and I look forward to seeing all three of you sometime in the future."

"Same here," Robbie replied with a grin.

"Yeah, same here," Maddie smiled. Ervine said nothing else, but he did do something that meant just as much if not more. He smiled. A true, friendly, caring smile. That said more than words ever could.

"Well, we best get going," Gamba said, "We wish you well, children." They all waved goodbye to the two sprites.

"So Skips, you knew those guys?" Rigby asked.

"Yep," the yeti answered simply.

"Dude, what's the story behind that?" Mordecai asked with a smirk, curious now.

"Eh, you guys would be bored by it, it's not that interesting," Skips answered.

"Aw, come on Skips!" Maddie shouted.

"Yeah, we wanna know! Please!" Robbie added.

Skips chuckled. "Tell you what, how 'bout you guys tell us all what happened on your adventure, and then maybe I'll tell you a little about mine."

()()()()()()()()

"So, Maddie was in trouble. Robbie was hurt. The snake was closing in. But then, I got my muscles ready, and I punched it in the head!"

"Wow!" the twins said in awe. "Wow Mikey, you're so cool!" said Matt. "Yeah, so awesome and tough!" added Sammi.

"Yeah, I am," Mikey replied with a smirk. Hearing this, Maddie and Robbie rolled their eyes. They had already shared their story with the family, but the twins had wanted to hear it again. So Mikey was happy to tell it to them again, and of course over exaggerated everything he had done during the adventure.

'Well, at least he's spending time with his little brother and sister,' Maddie thought with a small smile, 'He really is a good brother.'

It was nearly sunset now. After taking hot showers and eating as much food as they could order from places who delivered (and didn't close because of the small flood), the three kids were hanging out in the living room, sitting in their warm pajamas. To all of the adults, the beach house had never felt more alive. They were all glad their family was complete again.

As the twins giggled, Maddie looked over at Robbie. "Hey," she said, "come on, let's go sit on the porch."

Robbie was a little surprised, but got up anyway. The two quietly went out onto the wooden porch, and sat down on the bench that was sitting outside. "So, why did you want to come out here?" Robbie asked as he sat down.

The violet bird shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, just wanted to talk I guess. I mean, when I think about it, it seems more like a dream or something. I can't believe we actually went through all that." She turned to Robbie and grinned. "And, it was the best thing we've ever done."

"Yeah it was!" Robbie shouted. The two laughed. It really was the best thing they had ever done. Seeing a cool underwater city, going turtle swimming, building and riding in a submarine, surfing a one hundred foot wave, and saving the city from being destroyed. Definitely a cool vacation memory.

"Yeah, the rest of the summer's gonna be kind of a drag compared to this," Maddie continued, "and I'm not sure what could happen next summer that could top this. Maybe going into space or something, I don't know."

"Yeah," Robbie replied, although it probably wasn't likely that they would do something as cool as this ever again, at least not as soon as next year. Then, a familiar thought entered the young raccoon's mind:

Growing up. The possibility of no more adventures. No more Maddie.

Looking down at his feet, Robbie blushed. "Um, hey Maddie?"

"Yeah Robbie?"

His voice caught in his throat. He was just silent. "Robbie?" Finally, he swallowed and then took a deep breath.

"I, I like hanging out with you. Having fun, battling monsters and weird creatures, doing awesome things. I like all of that, but the best part is, doing it with you."

Maddie smiled softly. "I like doing those things too, Robbie."

The raccoon scowled. "No, I mean-!" Gah! Why was this so hard? He wasn't even looking at Maddie anymore, but he had to get these words out. "I mean, even if we were just two boring kids spending our summer doing things like checkers and doing the crossword and crap like that, I would still being having fun. Because I would be hanging out with you. I- I like you Maddie! I really like you."

There, he had said it. There was no taking it back now. He couldn't just say, 'Just Kidding' and go off and play some video game. All he could do is wait for her reply.

"Robbie," Maddie said quietly after staying silent, "I, wow. I didn't realize..." Robbie felt a lump forming in his throat. "But, listening to all those things you just said, I think, I think I feel the same way." The raccoon blinked, and glanced at the bird.

"You're my best friend," Maddie said, smiling, "I've known you since I was hatched. You make me laugh, and we have so much fun together. And, I always want it to be like that." She thought back to the science fair incident. "And, I don't want to lose you to anyone else."

Robbie was finally looking right at her. The two were looking each other in the eye. "Like I said, you're my best friend," Maddie repeated, before she started blushing, "and, I think I like you too, a lot."

"So, we like each other," Robbie said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Maddie replied. Despite the heavy blush still on their faces, they were happy. Maybe this 'Liking Someone' thing wasn't so bad. Maybe, it would be the best part of their vacation.

"So, are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?" Robbie asked curiously.

"I, guess so?" Maddie replied, not really sure herself. Did they have to go on a real date first, or could they just say they were? Then, hitting them like a brick to the face, a thought entered their heads. A totally awkward, embarrassing, stupid thought that began with the letter 'K'.

"Um, yeah."

"Ha ha, yeah. Um, maybe we could, take it slow?" Maddie suggested. After all, they were sixth graders. They had all of middle school and high school.

"Yes! Slow! Slow sounds good," Robbie replied. Maddie giggled a little.

"Well?" she said.

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to hold my hand?" Maddie asked with a smirk, holding out her feathered hand. Robbie playfully scowled at her, but happily took her hand.

As fur felt feathers, the awkwardness melted away. It was actually kinda nice. Smiling, the two stood up and went into the beach house, only letting go of each other's hand when they decided to play some video games.

**This may be the end of the Vacation story, but this isn't the end of 'It Runs in the Family'. There's still two chapters left. **

**I just wanted to say, thank you all so much. Not just for the great and really nice reviews, but for sticking with me and this story for over six months. This story was just a random idea I had, to see if I could write Mordecai and Rigby as parents and to see if I could create good OCs. I thought this story would get maybe ten chapters, tops. But thanks to you guys, it's become so much more. I've had so much fun writing this story, and I'm really glad so many people enjoy it. So, for all that, thank you. **

**This is probably the last author's note I'll leave until the last chapter, so until then, keep reviewing and I hope you enjoy the finale of 'It Runs in the Family'. **


	47. Chapter 47

"Okay guys, we're officially in the city limits," Benson said over the walkie talkie, "We should be at the park in about fifteen minutes."

"Finally!" replied Rigby in an exasperated tone.

Since the kids had missed the second half of their vacation, they all decided to just pay the fee for an extra day at the beach house and spend one more day on vacation. They had went to the amusement park on the pier and went go karting. The next day, they started heading home. Like before, it had been a two day trip, so they were a little late getting home. But really, it didn't matter. It had still been a fun vacation.

Benson clicked off the walkie talkie and looked at the road again. "Benson?" The gumball machine looked over at Pops.

"Yeah Pops," Benson replied, "are you okay? Do you need something?"

"No no," the lolliman said, shaking his huge head, "it's just... Did you have a good time on vacation?"

"Yeah," Benson replied without hesitation, "Of course. I mean, for the most part." He didn't think it would be wise to mention 'that week'.

"Oh," Pops said, looking down at his hands. "And, do you think, everyone else had a good time?"

"Yeah," Benson said again, "Pops, you saw for yourself how much fun we had. The beach, the Medieval Times place, the go karting and amusement park. Of course we had a good time."

Pops smiled sadly. "I know we did. But, that week..." His lower lip started trembling.

Scowling, Benson grabbed Pops' hand and squeezed it. "Pops, listen to me," he said strictly, "Just because you chose the beach does NOT mean the kids going missing was your fault. Even Skips didn't know that those fish people and that monster were there. It wasn't your fault. You chose a great place for vacation. Forget about that week, think about the good things that happened. Now that, was because of you."

"Well, you reserved the beach house," Pops added with a small smile.

Benson didn't say anything more, he just gently squeezed Pops' hand again. Still smiling, Pops gave the gumball machine a small kiss on the forehead and then rested his head on the cool glass. "Thank you, my good man."

"No problem, Pops." With Pops no longer feeling guilty, and the two kids fast asleep in the back seat, the car had a calm atmosphere to it. It seemed like nothing could disturb them.

_"Now I gotta cut loose! Footloose! Kick off your Sunday shoes!" _

Pops sat up quickly. "Oh, I forgot I had that thing turned up so loud." He started digging around in his pockets trying to get the cell phone out.

Even with the mood ruined, Benson couldn't help but smile a little. 'Of course he would pick that for his ringtone,' he thought. Last time he checked, Pops' ringtone was a classic telephone ring. Mordecai or Rigby must've showed him how to download songs and set them as ringtones.

"Hello?" the lolliman answered, "Oh hello Papa!" Benson sighed. Guess someone found out about the extra three days. "Don't worry, everything is fine. ... We're only a few minutes away from the park. ... Papa, Benson is capable of getting the festival ready in time, I assure you."

"The what!" Benson slammed on the brakes, making Pops nearly drop his phone and waking the kids.

"Ow! Hey!/Benson!" the kids shouted, clearly not happy about being woken up, but the gumball machine didn't answer. He was mentally hitting his head against the wall.

"We're alright Papa," Pops said into the phone. He listened, and then sighed a little. "Yes Papa, I'll tell him. ... Alright, goodbye." He hung up the cell phone, and then looked Benson. "Benson, what's wrong?"

"The summer festival!" Benson shouted, "Augh! I'm so stupid!" He completely forgot. To bring in more attendance, Maellard wanted a summer festival to be held at the park once every summer. If they would've ended vacation on time, he would have had a whole week to get ready. Now he only had two days!

"How am I going to put together the festival in two days!" Benson said, resting his head on the steering wheel.

"I think you believe, how are 'we' going to put together a festival," Pops corrected, "You have Skips and I to help you Benson. And I bet Mordecai, Rigby and everyone else will be living to lend a hand too. We'll get it up in time."

Benson looked at the positive lolliman. To most people, his overoptimism would be annoying. But to Benson, it was kind of refreshing to see someone like that. Someone so innocent. It was one of the things Benson loved about him.

"Alright Pops," Benson said finally.

"Good show," Pops smiled, "Now, perhaps you should start driving, the gentlemen behind us are getting anxious, and the one in the semi just gave us a certain hand gesture."

()()()()()()()()()()

It was tough, frustrating, and down to the wire for some of the parts, but they had done it. By that weekend, the park's summer festival was ready to go.

Skips had found and rented bouncy castles and inflatable obstacle courses. He also called Techno who set up a tv for karaoke and a virtual reality game for kids to play.

Pops was in charge of the snack shack, selling all the usual foods and refreshments as well as his cotton candy and balloons. For being the only one there, he was a natural and was able to easily handle all the customers.

Muscleman and HFG were in charge of any carnival rides that they were able to rent. They were mostly spinning rides, nothing too big but still enjoyable. Mordecai, as well as another local artist, was doing portraits and caricatures.

There were many carnival game stands, arts and crafts for sale, a cake walk, and even a couple raffles (which Margaret and Eileen were in charge of drawing winners and buying the raffle prizes)

Trees all over the park were strung with bright white lights and multi colored streamers. It truly looked like a festival.

"Wow! This place looks great!" Maddie commented as she and Robbie looked around.

"Yeah, let's go try to win one of the games!"

"Hey! wait for us!" The two turned around and saw a blonde human, a grey weasel, a green boy, and a tall fox girl. They both smiled.

"Hey guys, you're here!" Robbie said as he smiled at his friends.

"We wouldn't miss the festival," Greg replied, "it's one of the best things about summer."

"Yeah, the food, the prizes, the fireworks," Kimi said, "It's all so awesome! And makes for a lot of great photos." She lifted up her camera that was around her neck. "Smile!" The two smiled and Kimi snapped the picture.

As she was trying to get her eyes back to normal, ("Thanks for the pic Kimi, but did you have to leave the flash on?") she noticed what was around Taylor's neck. A gold chain necklace with a baby blue seashell charm. She couldn't help but smile.

"Nice necklace, Taylor," Maddie commented.

The fox blushed, placing a hand on the sea shell. "Oh, t-t-thank you," she replied, "M-mikey got it for me."

"I knew you would like it," Mikey stated, trying to act smooth like it was no big deal. Taylor just simply smiled and took Mikey's hand. His 'smooth' face faltered for a second, but quickly recovered. "Come on, let's go find a game that I can win."

With that, the group of six started walking towards the games. Without missing a beat, Robbie took his own girlfriend's hand. Maddie smiled and squeezed his paw. As they continued walking, Kimi turned to Greg and whispered, "I knew they would get together eventually."

"Whoa cool, a shooting game!" Mikey pointed out. There were six stools, six water pistols, and six clown heads with balloons on top of their heads. The guns and stools were different colors, three were blue, three were red.

"First team to pop their balloons wins!" explained the man in charge of the game.

"Boys versus Girls!" Greg shouted.

Maddie and Robbie looked at each other and smiled. "Hm hm hm-hm." The girls took the blue side and boys took the red side.

"Ready, set, GO!"

Maddie, Robbie, Greg and Mikey were fast on their triggers, since they were all gamers. Greg had a bit of an advantage since he played shooting games the most, but Maddie had good aim. Kimi and Taylor were able to quickly catch up once they got the hang of it and figured out where to aim to get the most water in.

POP! Greg's balloon popped. POP! Then Maddie's. All the balloons looked pretty full. POP! Mikey's popped. POP! Kimi's. Two balloons left, both looking like they were ready to burst. Annnnd... POP!

"Red team wins!" The boys cheered. The girls of course were disappointed, but they had still had fun. Besides, the prize was a free small pizza at Luigi's and a plastic toy.

"Once you see the prize you don't really feel like a winner anymore," Robbie commented, making everyone else laugh a little.

"Hey, I think I saw a ring toss somewhere over here," Kimi said, pointing west.

"Oh, and there's balloon darts over here," Maddie said, pointing the opposite way.

W-why don't we all split up, s-so we can play more games? W-we'll meet at the snack shack before the fireworks start." Everyone agreed, and went their own ways, in search of games and prizes that were hopefully better than plastic animals and free pizzas.

Meanwhile over at the other side of the park, Rigby was wandering around with a cotton candy stick in one hand and a bottle of soda in the other. Standing on the tips of his toes, he spotted a familiar blue head of feathers in the crowd.

"Hey! Mordecai!" Rigby said as he pushed his way through the crowd. Mordecai looked down and smiled.

"Hey dude, what's up?"

"Nothing, hey I thought you had to draw people," Rigby asked.

"Taking a break," the bluejay replied as he handed the guy at the game stand a dollar bill.

"Oh cool!" smiled Rigby, "Hey, I saw Benson heading towards the karaoke stand. This should be good, come on let's go watch!"

"Give me a minute, dude," Mordecai replied, "let me play this game first." Rigby looked up and saw what game it was. Their were three stacks of milk bottles and you had to knock them all down to get a great prize. "Bet you I can win that necklace for Margaret," Mordecai said as he pointed at the top shelf where a gold necklace with a ruby heart sat.

"Yeah right," Rigby replied, "there's no way, these games are rigged anyway."

Mordecai ignored the comment and pulled his arm back. Throwing the baseball, he knocked down the middle stack. "Hm hm," Mordecai smirked.

"Yeah well, I bet you can't do it again!" One minute later, the other two stacks were knocked down. The raccoon scowled as the man handed Mordecai the necklace.

"Alright dude, let's go," Mordecai said, but Rigby stood in his way.

"No, I'm going to play now," Rigby said, determined. He walked up to the counter and slammed a dollar bill on it. "Bam! Three baseballs."

"Whatever," said the man, handing Rigby the baseballs.

"Hm hm," said Rigby, looking at Mordecai. He squeezed the ball, brought his arm back and threw it. Unfortunately, there wasn't much strength in the throw, so it barely touched the bottles. Growling, Rigby picked up another ball. This time, he aimed for the top of the middle of the stack instead of the top bottle. This time, the ball actually hit the bottles, but just made them wobble, none fell down.

Deciding to go for a new strategy, Rigby aimed for the stack of bottles at the left instead of the one in the middle. But when he threw the ball, it missed by half a foot and one of the wooden legs holding up the stand. The ball bounced back and hit Rigby right in the face.

"Dude!" Mordecai shouted, "Rigby, you okay?" The raccoon groaned. He picked himself off the ground, and glared at the guy running the game.

"Give me another," he said, still determined to win this game. Normally, he would've just said no. But the guy was so bored and watching the raccoon fail was pretty entertaining, so he gave Rigby one more ball.

His tail straightened, his feet were planted firmly on the ground. Rigby glared at the middle stack of bottles, and took a small step back. He moved his arm back, took a deep breath and then, with what sounded like a battle cry, he threw the ball. Everything went into slow motion. As the ball flew through the air, there was no doubt that it would knock down any bottles in it's way like a leather wrecking ball.

... That is, if it didn't miss the bottles by a whole foot. The ball shot threw the curtains behind the bottles and made a splash. "Hey!" The guy moved the curtains back and Rigby could see the game behind the bottles game. It was one of the games where you try to catch fish and if you catch one, you keep it.

"Oh, uh, sorry dude," Rigby said to the fish guy, "But uh, since my ball landed in your game, can I win a prize there?"

"Fine, whatever," said the fish guy, "Just don't play that game anymore and don't come near my name again!"

"Deal!" He then turned the bluejay. "Hm hm, told you I could win a prize." Mordecai just rolled his eyes. Not wanting to lose his prize, Rigby ran over to the fish game where the owner (reluctantly) handed him a goldfish in a baggie.

After a few minutes, the two best friends were able to find Margaret and Eileen. While Mordecai gave the cardinal the necklace (which of course she loved), Rigby went up to Eileen.

"Here you go, Eileen!" he said with a smile, holding up the baggie.

"Oh Rigby, she's so cute!" Eileen replied, smiling at the small fish, "Thanks Rigby." Rigby smiled.

"No prob. Now come on, let's go see if Benson can sing."

Hours passed by, and the festival was starting to slow down a little. Almost everyone was sitting at the picnic and snack shack area, resting and eating. The six kids were no different. They were all sitting at a table, eating snacks, telling stories and laughing."

"So you guys actually rode sea turtles?" Kimi asked.

"There was no way!" Greg shouted, "Show pictures or it didn't happen!"

Maddie and Robbie just smiled. "Well, you don't have to believe us," Maddie said, "but we're not lying."

"You guys have the weirdest adventures," Kimi commented. Maddie and Robbie just smiled.

"Yeah," they said in unison. Just then, there was a flash of light and a loud boom. A few people gasped or gave a surprised yelp, but once they realized what it was, they cheered."

"The fireworks!" Robbie yelled happily, "Awesome!"

The black sky was soon filled with neon colors, exploding and weaving through the stars. Each firework was huge and beautiful. You couldn't turn away. You could only sit, and enjoy. Couples leaned up against each other, little kids stood on their parents shoulders, and everyone watched in awe at each explosion of color and light.

Everyone was happy, but Maddie and Robbie were probably the most happy. Tonight, there was no giant monster or huge cross city adventure, just hanging out with their friends at a summer festival.

But sometimes, that was enough. After all, everyone needs some time to relax and be 'regular', at least for a little while.

()()()())()()()()()

"Hey, I found some more over here!"

"Great!"

There was only a week left until school started, and the two wanted to make the most of their summer left. Leaves were already starting to fall, and Maddie and Robbie were raking them just so they had a pile to jump in (Benson was also paying them seven dollars each).

Unfortunately, the pile was small and way too green. "Well, this is disappointing," Robbie commented.

"Yeah, this sucks," Maddie added, crossing her arms. So much for jumping in leaves.

"They'll turn brown soon enough," Benson stated as he walked up to them, holding a plate of chocolate chip cookies. "Here, Pops made these for you guys."

"Thanks," the kids replied in unison, smiling. They took the plate and sat down in the soft grass. As for Benson, he opened his bottle of soda and sat down in the cart were Mordecai and Rigby were already sitting and talking.

"I'm telling you dude, I saw it!" Rigby shouted, trying to convince the bluejay, "It was legit."

"Dude, I'm telling you that wasn't a real trailer," Mordecai replied, "It was totally fake! You can so tell!"

"It was not! You're just mad I saw it before you!"

"What are you guys arguing about now?" Benson asked dryly.

"Video game trailer," they answered. The gumball machine rolled his eyes. "I should have known," he said.

"Well, when you see a real trailer, show me," Mordecai said, "Because it's supposed to look amazing."

"Oh trust me, it DID look amazing."

Ignoring the two ex-slackers, Benson took the cap of his soda and started to drink. But he stopped mid drink, a shiver ran up his metal spine. "Hey, does it feel colder to you guys?" Benson asked.

Before they had a chance to answer, the wind started blowing a bit stronger. The air had a shade of green to it. The leaves started to shake and turn brown, falling to the ground. Then, as a final supernatural touch, a giant portal opened up and two hooded figures drove out on a motorcycle.

"Whoa," Maddie and Robbie said in unison. They would've been happy that there was more leaves now, but now they were more curious about the two guys on the motorcycle. At least, they thought it was two guys. One of the figures looked about a third of the size of the taller figure, and he was strapped into what looked like a car seat.

"I don't understand why I have to wear this thing," the short figure said in a deep voice. He yanked off the hood and revealed: the face of a child? Or rather, a demon child. He had sharp fangs and pointy ears.

"Because, your mum don't want you getting a cold," replied the other figure in a British accent that the kids recognized right away. He took off his hood, revealing his face, complete with sunglasses and long brown hair.

"Death!" Maddie and Robbie said in unison.

"What are you doing here?" Mordecai asked, standing up.

"Don't worry," Death said, raising one of his hands, "I ain't here for one of you. I'm just takin' Thomas to the kindergarden to show him where everything is and what not to burn."

"Why do I have to go!" Thomas shouted, looking like he was ready to throw a tantrum.

"You've been a baby for over three hundred years, Thomas," Death replied, giving his son a stern look, "It's time to grow up a bit."

"But why do I have to go to a mortal school! I hate mortals!"

Death sighed. "Look Thomas, you like the idea of harvesting souls, right?" Mordecai, Rigby and Benson felt a little disturbed hearing him ask that question to his son. They were even more disturbed at the answer.

"Yes Father," Thomas replied reluctantly.

"Well, you can only do that if you take me job," Death reminded him, "and you can only do that if you go through school. So, are you going to behave at school?"

"Yes Father," Thomas said again.

"Good boy," Death said, patting the boy on the head. Thomas gave a small smile.

"So, that's the son of Death," Robbie said, looking at the boy, "Not quite what I imagined, but still kinda freaky."

"Oh, I don't know, he's kinda cute," Maddie commented, "You know, in that 'evil little kid from the underworld' kind of way."

Thomas looked at the violet bird and smiled. "Why, thank you. You know, I need a new babysitter, and I think you'd be perfect for the job."

Maddie gave a small laugh. "Yeah, thanks but no. No way. But hey, I bet you'll have fun at kindergarden. The teacher's pretty nice."

Thomas pouted. He then caught the smirk Robbie was giving him and hissed at him. "Tom..." Thomas stopped hissing and tried to look innocent.

"Well, we better get going," Death said, getting back on the motorcycle, "Oh, and by the way, congratulations Rigby."

"On what?" Rigby asked, "I'm not going to die soon, am I?"

"No! I'm talkin' about your baby!" With that, Death revved up his motorcycle and drove off, leaving a trail of green light behind him.

"Baby?" Rigby repeated, "But, Eileen isn't-" Just then, Rigby's cell phone vibrated. The raccoon took it out, and read the text message.

"Hey Rigby. Come home soon. I have great news! :) "

"I- we- what!" Rigby said. He couldn't believe it. He was going to have another kid?

"Uh, Dad?" Robbie asked, "You okay?"

"Baby - Another - Kid - Eileen - " was all Rigby could really get out. Robbie looked up at Mordecai.

"So, was he like this when he learned about me?" the younger raccoon asked.

"Worse," Mordecai said with a chuckle, "But once he got over the shock, he was pretty happy." Robbie smiled. After watching Mikey with the twins, he was happy to get a little brother or sister of his own.

The bluejay checked the time. "Hey, we better start heading home. You guys only have a week left until school, so I don't think Margaret and Eileen want you guys staying up late."

The two kids groaned. "Don't remind us," Maddie said.

"Hey you guys only have six more years to go," Benson said, "you're halfway done."

That didn't make it any shorter. But, at least it wouldn't be all bad.

The two climbed into the back seat of the cart and (with a raccoon still in shock in the front seat) drove back to the familiar green house in the middle of the park.


	48. Chapter 48

*Beep beep be-beep! Be-be-beep! Beep boop beep!*

The teenager groaned. That ringtone seemed like a good idea for an alarm at the time. Moving the violet feathers out of her eyes, she sat up and walked over to her closet. A long mirror hung on the door. She looked at herself in the mirror, and tried to fix her hair the best she could.

The young bird had grown so much in three years. She had gotten a couple inches taller, and she had gotten a lot curvier. She pretty much had the same figure as her mother at that age. She had also grown out her hair too, it was now a couple inches longer and a little wavier.

It was a little annoying during baseball (she still played on her team, and planned on joining the high school varsity team), but once she put on her headband, cap and put the rest of her hair in a ponytail, it was fine.

"Hey Maddie, are you coming down to breakfast?" she heard her dad ask.

"Yeah, I'm coming!" Maddie shouted back. She looked back in the mirror, her hair still looked like a mess. But, she simply shrugged her shoulders. She'll deal with it later, right now the smell of blueberry muffins was too tempting.

Still in her pajamas, Maddie walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Her parents were already eating, and they gave her a smile.

"Morning Maddie," Margaret greeted.

"How's it going, freshman?" Mordecai asked.

Maddie smiled. Her first year of high school. "I didn't think middle school would ever end."

"Isn't that what you said the last day of school?" Mordecai asked before taking a sip of coffee.

"Yeah, but it needs to be said again," Maddie retorted, "The only good thing about middle school was my friends and Skips." She frowned a little. She was going to miss having the yeti as her teacher. But, he had such a good reputation at the middle school, all the kids liked him and didn't dare try to prank him, so she knew he was going to be fine. But still, she was going to miss him and his lessons.

"When are the tryouts for the school team again?" Margaret asked quickly, knowing that would get her daughter's mind off it.

"Next month," Maddie replied, "I'll have to go to the batting cages this weekend to practice a little. You said I can drive there myself, right?"

"Yes, you just have to watch the roads," Margaret said.

"Great, thank you," Maddie replied, giving her parents her best smile, "I'm so glad you trust me with your car, notice how I said 'your' car. But I guess I've earned it, since I've never been caught speeding or have been given a ticket."

"Oh, you haven't?" Mordecai said, feigning surprise, "Well, good for you Maddie."

"... Oh come on!" Maddie pouted.

"Sorry sweetie," Margaret said, "We promise, you can drive to school next year. Besides, I thought you and Robbie were walking to school today."

"I would've picked him up," Maddie mumbled as she munched on her blueberry muffin.

"Maybe we'll let you drive home from Cheeser's tonight," Mordecai said. That put a small smile on his daughter's face. Even after three years, they were still going to Cheeser's on the first day of school, still an ongoing family tradition.

After finishing her breakfast, Maddie excused herself from the table and went back into her room. After looking in her closet for about a minute, she decided to wear her favorite dark blue tee shirt, and a pair of light blue jeans.

As she got out her clothes, she picked up her cell phone and quickly typed "Robbie, r u getting ready?"

...

"Yeah. Getting dressed rite now. TTYL"

With that, Robbie tossed the cell phone onto his bed and picked up his clothes. He was wearing a normal pair of blue jeans, brown shoes, the 'Fist Pump' shirt he had gotten for his birthday, and his favorite dark green jacket.

After three years, the biggest change with the young raccoon was his height. Like Eileen had predicted, he did grow a little more. Now he was the same height as Maddie, five feet eight inches. He wasn't as tall as his uncle, but tall enough to tower over his family (of course Rigby was jealous when it first happened, but got over at after about a week).

Robbie still wore glasses, still had his hair like his father's, and still loved reading, playing video games, and running/racing. "Robbie, breakfast!" Eileen called.

"Coming!" Robbie shouted, his voice cracking in the middle of the word. He uttered a curse, silently hoping his mother didn't hear it. Even after going through puberty, his voice still cracked sometimes if he shouted too loud or got really angry or upset. Eileen said eventually it would go away, but the raccoon still hated dealing with it.

Entering the kitchen, he saw his entire family there. Breakfast was on the table, and his mother was just giving breakfast to Ponyo, the goldfish Rigby had won for her at the festival (she named it after one of her favorite movies). "Morning Robbie," she smiled.

"Hey Mom," Robbie replied. His dad was already sitting at the table, but he didn't say good morning because he was busy trying to feed Molly.

The giggling three year old kept her mouth closed, but smiled at her older brother. "Mmhm!" she said, saying hi and keeping her mouth closed at the same time.

Born on New Years Day, Molly Eleanor Saylers was a small mole. But while she looked a lot like Eileen, she had Rigby's dark brown fur color. She also had long, chestnut brown hair that was tied into two pigtails. Today, she was wearing a bright pink dress, although she would probably have to change it later since it was covered in her breakfast.

"What was that, Mo?" Robbie said, "I can't understand you."

"I said- mmh!" A spoon was shoved into her mouth.

"Hm-hm, gotcha!" Rigby said. He then gave a smile at Robbie. "Thanks Robbie."

"No problem," Robbie replied. The small mole girl glared at the both of them, but then became interested in sucking on her plastic spoon.

"I'll take over," Eileen said, sitting next to her daughter. Relieved, Rigby handed her Molly's breakfast and started eating his own breakfast.

The kitchen tv was on so the boys watched that while Eileen fed the toddler, watching out of the corner of the eye as she fed her daughter.

After about half an hour, Robbie finished his breakfast. "I'm gonna go so I can meet Maddie," the teen said, tossing his plate and silverware in the sink.

"Ah!" Molly shouted, quickly pushing the spoon away, "Robbie! Hug!"

Robbie glanced at his little sister, her dress covered in gross half eaten food. He grimaced. "Um, I'll give you a hug later, Mo. Okay?" he said, hoping she would take it.

"No! Now! Pleeeease!" Molly pleaded.

"You know you're gonna give into her," Eileen said before taking a sip of her coffee.

"I am not," Robbie argued. He looked back at his baby sister, ready to tell her no when he saw her face. Tears were threatening to fall from the young mole's eyes.

The teen raccoon sighed, and walked over to the high chair, carefully wrapping his arms around his sister. His parents couldn't help but smile. "Yay! Good brother," Molly smiled, "Thankie!"

"Remind me to 'thank' Uncle Don for ruining my little sister," Robbie said.

"Hey, at least she only asks you for one once or twice a day," Rigby reminded him, "and at least she doesn't call it 'Sugar'." He had a point, Robbie was thankful she didn't call it that.

Letting go of his sister, he gave his mom a quick hug and fistbumped his dad before heading towards the door. "Bye guys," he called.

"See ya," Rigby replied.

"Have fun at school," Eileen added.

Shutting the door behind him, Robbie jumped of the stairs and started walking down the street. The high school was only two blocks away, and since the city bus made five stops in between his house and the school, it was faster to walk. Besides, he liked walking. He liked the sense of freedom it gave him, and besides, it meant he could hang out with...

"Hey dude!" Robbie turned his head and smiled. The violet bird ran up to him and then slowed down to a walk. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," the teenage raccoon replied, "I see you didn't convince them."

"Shut up, furball," Maddie retorted, giving him a small shove. Robbie just chuckled.

"Hey, at least they trust you with their car," Robbie said. He sighed. "You accidentally drive their car into an alternate dimension ONCE and they never let it go."

Maddie smiled. "That was a fun day, and an interesting day. Did your dad ever get the stain out of the back seat."

"Mostly, you can still kinda see it if you look hard enough. Who would've thought Rigjuice would make a good stain remover?"

"Speaking of stains," Maddie started to say, "Is that oatmeal on your sleeve?"

Robbie looked and groaned, trying to wipe the oatmeal off his jacket. Maddie just giggled. "It's not that bad, dude." Robbie still didn't look too happy about it. "You know, I bet I can beat you to the school."

Robbie stopped glaring at the stain and looked at the bird. "No way, I always beat you."

"You mean, who you 'beat' me last time?" Maddie said with a smirk, "because I think I was the one who won." Robbie looked at the bird for a moment, and then ran off. "Hey!"

The two started running down the street, laughing and trying to slow each other down. Somethings never change.

()()()()()()()()()

"He gave you guys a report on the first day? No way."

"It's true! The guy's insane!"

"Well, at least you can understand him. My teacher sounds like he has a bunch of marbles in his mouth. At least our math teacher is okay."

"I'm just glad we have three classes together, last year we didn't have any except for lunch."

"Don't remind me," Maddie said, "That was the worst."

"Yeah it was," agreed Robbie. He took out his cell phone and checked the time, "Hey, they'll be heading over to Cheesers in an hour anyway, do you want to go over there and just hang out until then?"

Maddie thought for a moment, and then smiled. "Yeah, that sounds nice."

Taking a right and walking another block, they arrived at the cheese themed restaurant. The playground made out of old rockets was still there, so they went over to it and climbed up, sitting on the top of the metal, rocket shaped structure.

"Is it me, or did this thing used to be bigger?" Robbie asked. He saw the smirk Maddie was giving him. He scowled. "Shut up."

"I'm not saying anything," Maddie replied, trying to keep herself from laughing. The two sat quietly for a few minutes, just watching the clouds go by.

After a while, the sun started to go down, slowly moving across the sky. It wasn't quite down yet, but it was getting there, and it was enough to give the sky a golden color. They weren't quite sure when, but at one point they grabbed each other's hand.

"Do you think we'll miss this?" Maddie asked, "You know, coming here on the first day of school. I doubt we'll do it on the first day of college."

"Well, they'll probably still do it, for the twins and for Molly," Robbie replied after thinking about it, "But, maybe we could start our own tradition. Like, find one of those buffet places and stay there until we can't eat anymore or until they kick us out."

Maddie laughed. "You know, that sounds great. Maybe we could even come back here sometime."

"Yeah, why not? This place does have good grilled cheese."

Still holding Robbie's hand, Maddie laid down on the warm metal. She looked so beautiful, Robbie couldn't help but stare. A familiar, annoying thought entered his mind. He bit his lip. Were they ready?

He still remembered a few months ago when they had tried to do it. They both chickened out half way through, and they were so embarrassed they stayed away from each other for a week. But now, the moment seemed so right. The warm summer breeze, the golden sky. They were the only ones there.

'It's now or never, dude,' the teenage raccoon told himself. Taking a deep breath, Robbie leaned over and kissed the tip of Maddie's beak where her lips would be. Still leaning over her, he looked at her, trying to figure out her reaction.

After a moment, she finally spoke. "Dude, you just kissed me," she said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah, I did," Robbie replied. The bird smiled.

"Well then, I guess it's my turn," she said as she sat up. The two stared at each other, a light blush covering their faces. Maddie smiled, then closed her eyes. She leaned forward, and squeezed Robbie's hand.

Robbie's tail twitched wildly, but the rest of his body was calm surprisingly. Closing his own eyes, he leaned forward as well. It felt like they were never going to meet, but after what felt like forever, beak met lips.

They didn't attempt to 'make out' or anything like that, they just stayed still with their mouths pressed against one another, trying to interpret these weird yet wonderful feelings. After a few moments, they both deepened the kiss and moved closer to each other. After almost two minutes, they had to separate so they could breathe.

"Whoa," they both breathed. Maddie smiled, and Robbie smiled back.

"Kinda wish I would've done that a long time ago," the raccoon said. Maddie laughed, giving him a small shove.

The violet bird gave a relaxed sigh. "Love you, Robbie."

Robbie blinked. She had said that so normally, as if she was just talking about the weather. But when he thought about it, he realized it wasn't said like that because she was calm, she said it because she was sure about loving him. And he was sure about loving her too. "Love you too," he said with a smile.

The two turned back towards the sky. Down on the roads, they saw two familiar cars. The bright red station wagon with Mordecai driving and Margaret in the front, and the old car with Pops driving and Benson and Skips sitting in the front and back. Robbie's family and Mikey's family would be arriving soon.

"Come on," Maddie said, jumping down from the metal rocket, "Let's go say hi. I bet Pops would want to see us."

"Kay," Robbie replied, jumping down as well. Without even thinking about it, they grabbed each other's hand and headed towards the parking lot to meet their family.

**The End.**

**That's all folks! The last chapter! I can't believe I've gotten this far, it's so insane. Although, writing this is bittersweet. It's gonna be weird not writing for this after spending seven months on it, lol. But before I close this story, I want to mention a few things:**

**1) My reviewers. Over 330 reviews, that's unbelievable. I can't thank you guys enough. From frequent readers to anonymous reviewers, I've gotten reviews of all types. Everytime I got one, I would smile. You guys are all so kind, and I'm so happy you enjoyed the story as much as you did. **

**I also want to give a shout out to bg52598, Arristo, Christ Lover 357, CANTfindKEYBORED, BlueRose1313, T. P. R., RegularDickPark, creativethinker28, Bigslayerguyman, starbomb, Drone Person, and RiGbYmAnIaC. There are tons more reviewers and anonymous reviewers and I love you all, but these are the ones who reviewed nearly every chapter and some are close friends of mine. So, in short, thank you all so much! :D  
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**2) Sequel. I'm sorry to say but as of right now there is no sequel. You know what they say about sequels, they can ruin the original. I don't have any multi-chapter ideas, and I don't want to try and force a crappy one. But I'm not abandoning these characters. I already have a few oneshots featuring these characters planned out. **

**I've got a Maddie centered one, one involving Robbie and Thomas (that should be fun) and one with Rigby and Molly (this one should be fun to write too). I'll also stop slacking on my 'Little Moments' oneshots (which will have some teenage!Maddie and Robbie in there). **

**And hey, who knows? Maybe one day I'll come up with an idea that's good enough for a sequel. Nothing's impossible.**

**So, that's that. I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter of 'It Runs in the Family'. I look forward to reading your reviews and opinions, and I'll see you next time :) **


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